OptiTrack has streamlined its Active Puck with the debut of the Active Puck Mini, a new version of its Active tracking hardware that’s 40 percent smaller and incorporates an inertial measurement unit (IMU).
The IMU improves the accuracy and consistency of body tracking, OptiTrack said, making it easier to get high-quality motion capture data without using special skin-tight suits. Instead, the new smaller pucks can be attached to a performer’s wrists, feet, belt, and baseball cap to capture data that can be imported to Epic’s Unreal Engine and Unity in real time.
OptiTrack Active Puck Mini
OptiTrack
“We’ve significantly refined our Active tracking technology in response to the requests of our location-based entertainment customers, and it has emerged as the clear choice for high throughput VR experiences,” said Brian Nilles, OptiTrack’s chief strategy officer, in a prepared statement.
The original, larger Active Puck, first shipped late last year, is also being fitted with IMUs, the company said. Those revised models are expected to ship this fall, along with the newer Active Puck Minis.
Active Puck Minis must be attached to six key points on the body.
OptiTrack
Active tracking technology works with both active and passive camera systems, meaning customers who already have ethernet-based systems can use Active Pucks with their existing workflow.
The Active Puck Mini is being demonstrated at OptiTrack’s SIGGRAPH booth #933 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
