Active marker deck - Bitcraze

Active Marker Deck enables robust, long-range tracking using Qualisys QTM.
The deck supports up to 4 IDs, making it possible to have different configurations without having to carry bulky spherical markers.
The firmware preloaded on the deck that supports Qualisys is closed source, but the electronic design is open source, allowing it to be adapted to other applications.

Features

• Compatible with Qualisys QTM
• Robust, long-range tracking
• Supports up to 4 different IDs
• Arms can be cut and extended with cables to place marker LEDs in other locations

How it works

Active Marker Deck, used in conjunction with Qualisys QTM, provides robust, long-range tracking.
With 4 high-power LEDs, up to 4 different IDs can be configured, allowing a large number of rigid bodies to be uniquely identified without the need for numerous reflective markers.

The hardware comes pre-programmed for Qualisys tracking systems, but can be reprogrammed for other applications.

Use

Active Marker Deck is designed primarily for Qualisys motion capture systems and supports Qualisys Active Markers, but can also be used with other systems in a simplified mode.
The deck has 4 arms, each with an infrared (IR) LED at the end, and a light sensor located in the middle.
The configuration of the deck is done through the parameter subsystem. For details on the parameters to be used, see the dedicated section below.

Mode

The mode of the deck is set via the activeMarker.mode parameter.

Operating modes

Off mode

All marker LEDs are off.

PWM mode

The marker LEDs are turned on and modulated in PWM.
The brightness of each LED is controlled by the marker parameters shown below, with values ranging from 0 to 255.

Modulated mode

The LEDs are switched with a frequency of about 42 kHz (24 microsecond cycle).
The brightness of the LEDs during the "on" phase of the cycle is controlled by the marker parameters, with values between 0 and 255.

Qualisys mode

In this mode the LEDs function as Active Markers, with IDs recognized by the Qualisys system, used for more accurate 6-DoF identification and tracking.
The IDs are controlled by the marker parameters, and currently the Qualisys systems and the deck support IDs in the range [0 - 170].

Marker Parameters.

Each marker is associated with a parameter that allows the brightness or ID to be set.
For more details, see the documentation of parameters related to activeMarker.

Package contains: 1 x Active marker deck - Bitcraze