Positional tracking

3D tracking is the tracking of an object's position or orientation in a three-dimensional space.

It an be done using a number of different hardware technologies, such as electromagnetic tracking and camera-based tracking.

Methods of camera-based tracking include SLAM and VIO.

In general, tracking is either 3DOF tracking or 6DOF tracking.

240Hz is generally sufficient if using Magnetic tracking with no filtering.

Methods

• Camera-based tracking - This is used on headsets such as Meta Quest headsets and the Project North Star. An open source method is Basalt.
• Electromagnetic tracking. Electromagnetic tracking requires an external source. It gets jittery when there is metal around, like a metal laptop computer. Magnetic tracking is typically wired, but it does not have to be.
• UWB tracking
• Mechanical tracking
• Acoustic tracking

History

3D tracking has been used for motion capture for 3D animated movies.

The 3DOF regime of cheap tracking was embraced by Oculus VR with the original Oculus Rift. The CV1 of the Oculus Rift used (and the DK2) constellation tracking, which is a complex method of 6DOF tracking added on to a robust 3DOF system.