6DOF real time head tracking software

Hi everyone

Thank you for including me in the X-Sim Forum

I live in Australia, and have just purchased a new RockNRide unit which I have just finished assembling. At this time I have not as yet tested it but am planning to in the next few days. I have also locally sourced out the components to build the USB 1.3 interface which I will construct soon. (Your instructions and PCB layout is excellent)

Ok, during my research on the internet over the past couple of days I stumbled across a web-site offering a very useful piece of software which I feel could compliment the RNR, and therfore I thought I would share my findings with you. Here is an extract from the web-site:

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The web-site offers a real time, 6DOF head tracking software. It analyses a camera video stream, looks for a unique SIGN that can be put on user's hat, then determines the head position and movement. There is no requirement for usually expensive special hardware. A regular web camera is all you need to get a surprisingly good result!

Not only detects positions, with the help of pre-determined mathematical modal, this software can also predict head movement according to history data. This results in continuous, smooth and accurate outputs.
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I downloaded the free trial to experiment, and was very very impressed, and thought it would possibly be a great tool to compliment the RNR unit? I purchased the full registered version for only $15 and experimented with NoLimitsCoaster and it was surprisingly very very good (and I have only a cheap cam).

The web-site is located at: http://www.cachya.com

I have 2 boys who are big time into gaming sims (racing, flying, shooting) and we are super keen to build a couple of different sims using your software. I have spent many weeks researching sims and componets, and personally I like the RNR and frex design, and the G25 Logitech racing system.

I have some other sim design ideas in mind, and to assist me in plans I have just downloaded the free 3D cad software from google located at http://sketchup.google.com/ .It seems to be very user friendly, and perhaps others might find it useful.

Anyhow, I will certainly keep an eye in this forum and I am very happy to contribute where I can - Thanks again for an awesome forum and software on DIY sims

Cheers
GrantB

Hello GrantB

Wellcome to our forum!

I purchased the trackIR2 some time ago, but I wasnt comfortable with it. It was too slow and only 2DOF^^
Is the catchya software comparable with the current trackIR's? I mean in terms of resolution and response time.

Well, I'll try it out

BTW: As you may have red, we plan a visualisation interface for the profiler. Therefor we'd need some drawings. So if you like you could post your drawings in our CAD section, we could get them moving in the profiler

And please let us take part in your sim project attempts

regards
ego

Thank you!

Hi Ego

Thank you for the friendly welcome into your forum

With regard to your question:

To be honest Ego, I really do not know much about the software, as I only happened to stumble across it whilst I was researching the Net for DIY simulators etc. I think because the price of $15 seemed quite cheap, I figured I didn't have much to lose and thought I would give it ago. In the outset, I was very very impressed with how it performed... You will probably laugh at this, but I could not find a cap at the time and so I taped the little paper cut out (focus point) to my forehead. ...Yes, well as you could imagine, my kids and wife laughed at me when I demonstrated it, but once it was working, they were all quite surprsied how well it worked with the NoLimitsCoaster sim, and they each wanted a turn... However, none of my family were prepared to look like a goose like me taping it to their heads, :shock: and so my youngest son when and grabbed his cap from his school bag.... The kids all had a turn playing with it, and like me, they said it was awesome

Ego, I had read about the trackIR in my sims travels. and watched a couple of videos on youtube, but for the money it costs, I thought I would hold off on that purchase at this time until my RNR is fully functional.

However, I certainly would be interested to get your feedback on the software to see if you think it may be useful in the long term? ..If not, well it was only $15 (i.e. only a couple of Cheese Burger meals at McDonalds HaHaHa).

In terms of the CAD drawings I would be most happy to post them once I have something worthy to share... Also, my 16 year old daughter is studying computer graphics and autocad at University so she may be able to assist in the future depending on her study work loads.

Thanks again for the warm welcome Ego, and I really look forward to being involved in the future... especially as this motion simuation stuff is my new hobby... (oh, and my only hobby).

Cheers
GrantB (Australia)