TrackIR

TrackIR

TrackIR is an optical motion tracking device for flight simulation games and racing games. It allows users to intuitively control the game camera by moving their head, enhancing immersion.
TrackIR image
head-tracking motion-tracking flight-simulation racing-games

TrackIR: Optimal Motion Tracking for Flight Simulation

An optical motion tracking device for immersive gaming experience, allowing users to control game camera with head movements, enhancing thrill and realism.

What is TrackIR?

TrackIR is an optical motion tracking peripheral designed for use with video games. It enables a form of head tracking, allowing the player to control in-game camera angles by moving their head in real life. This creates an intuitive and natural way to look around the simulated game environment.

The TrackIR hardware consists of a small infrared camera that monitors infrared LEDs mounted on a headset or clip worn by the user. Advanced processing and filtering eliminates background IR noise to precisely track the position and orientation of the user's head from the tracked LED positions. This data is then sent to a PC via USB.

Compatible video games integrate support for this tracking data, using it to control the in-game camera relative to the player's head movements. For example in a flight or racing simulation, the player can lean and look around the cockpit naturally to view mirrors, check blind spots, aim weapons, etc. This greatly enhances immersion in gameplay by mirroring real-world head movements.

Besides camera control, some software maps TrackIR head tracking data to functions like zooming a rifle scope or sighting a weapon. This allows more realistic and intuitive gameplay than using keyboard keys or controllers alone to accomplish thesesimulated actions.

With wide support among hardcore flight/racing simulation software and utilities to emulate TrackIR data in other games, TrackIR head tracking is widely used by serious gamers to achieve greater control and immersion.

TrackIR Features

Features

  1. Head tracking for flight and racing simulation games
  2. Tracks head movements to control in-game camera
  3. Provides 6 degrees of freedom tracking
  4. Compatible with many popular flight and racing sims
  5. Offers smooth and precise tracking
  6. Allows intuitive and immersive head control

Pricing

  • One-time Purchase

Pros

Greatly enhances immersion in sim games

More intuitive than mouse/keyboard camera control

Adds realism by linking in-game views to head movement

High precision tracking with low latency

Easy to set up and use

Cons

Can take time to get used to

Requires calibration to work properly

Limited compatibility compared to mouse/keyboard

May not work well in rooms with bright sunlight


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