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optitrack_motion_capture_system_setup_guide [2017/04/27 17:47] – keitaronishimuraoptitrack_motion_capture_system_setup_guide [2017/12/02 08:29] (current) – keitaronishimura
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 ===== Optitrack Motion Capture System Setup Guide ===== ===== Optitrack Motion Capture System Setup Guide =====
  
-**Author:** Keitaro Nishimura Email: nishik1@unlv.nevada.edu+**Author:** [[unlv_nishimura|Keitaro Nishimura]] Email: <katnimura@gmail.com>
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 **Date:** Last modified on 04/25/17 **Date:** Last modified on 04/25/17
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 2. Setting up the Computer 2. Setting up the Computer
-  *If the mocap PC isn't already setup please set it up at the "front" of your space. Please keep in mind that you will need to connect the hubs to the computer so keeping it as close to the edge of your volume is recommended. It is also recommended that you set up the peripherals (monitor, keyboard, mouse) so that you can access them while outside and inside the capture volume.+  *If the mocap PC isn't already setup please set it up at the "front" of your space. Please keep in mind that you will need to connect the hubs to the computer so keeping it as close to the edge of your volume is recommended. It is also recommended that you set up the peripherals (monitor, keyboard, mouse) so that you can access them while outside and inside the capture volume. Please don't forget to plug in the hardware key into the computer if it isn't already plugged in. 
 {{mocap_pc1.jpg?400}}{{mocap_pc3.jpg?400}} {{mocap_pc1.jpg?400}}{{mocap_pc3.jpg?400}}
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 +{{youtube>YiwMhkGrWHU?large}}
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 3. Setting up the Tripods 3. Setting up the Tripods
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   * Once the tripods are set up move them into your desired configuration.    * Once the tripods are set up move them into your desired configuration. 
 +  * Once you have placed them in your desired configuration take out the camera usb cables and connect them to the appropriate port on each camera.
 +{{youtube>HY4QvbuK-Jk?large}}
  
 3. Setting up the Optitrack Hubs 3. Setting up the Optitrack Hubs
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   *Take out the Optitrack hubs and based on the number and length place them around the perimeter of your capture volume. You can not have a usb extender between the camera and the hub. Introducing an extender will throw off the synchronization(timing) of that camera. making it impossible to calibrate and get accurate data from that camera. However, there is no need to connect the same number of cameras to each hub. It can, however, help the software equally distribute the load on the solftware. For our current setup we are using two hubs on the sides with two cameras plugged into each.     *Take out the Optitrack hubs and based on the number and length place them around the perimeter of your capture volume. You can not have a usb extender between the camera and the hub. Introducing an extender will throw off the synchronization(timing) of that camera. making it impossible to calibrate and get accurate data from that camera. However, there is no need to connect the same number of cameras to each hub. It can, however, help the software equally distribute the load on the solftware. For our current setup we are using two hubs on the sides with two cameras plugged into each.  
   *Once the hubs have been set and the usb cameras have all been connected to a hub connect the sync cables to each hub as explained in the following diagram.    *Once the hubs have been set and the usb cameras have all been connected to a hub connect the sync cables to each hub as explained in the following diagram. 
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 +{{ wiring_usb.png?400 |}}
   *Then take the usb uplink cables and connect them between each hub and the computer. If the cable is too short you can use an active usb extender to reach the computer. Please note that you can connect all of the uplink cables to an usb hub on the computer it isn't optimal for the software computation. Connecting each usb to a different physical port on the computer will disperse the computational power needed for each hub equally throughout the software. But if port space is at a premium there isn't anything barring you from doing this.    *Then take the usb uplink cables and connect them between each hub and the computer. If the cable is too short you can use an active usb extender to reach the computer. Please note that you can connect all of the uplink cables to an usb hub on the computer it isn't optimal for the software computation. Connecting each usb to a different physical port on the computer will disperse the computational power needed for each hub equally throughout the software. But if port space is at a premium there isn't anything barring you from doing this. 
   *Finally once all of the cables for the hubs have been set up connect them to their respective power bricks to turn them on. The hubs do not have a power switch and will automatically turn on when plugged in and turn off when unplugged.    *Finally once all of the cables for the hubs have been set up connect them to their respective power bricks to turn them on. The hubs do not have a power switch and will automatically turn on when plugged in and turn off when unplugged. 
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 You have now finished the hardware setup and can move on to the calibration portion of this tutorial. You have now finished the hardware setup and can move on to the calibration portion of this tutorial.
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 +{{youtube>T7AIyb_J_a4?large}}
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 ==== Camera Calibration ==== ==== Camera Calibration ====
 In this section, I will guide the reader step by step on how to calibrate the Optitrack Flex3 motion capture cameras properly for their own setup. For this part, you will need the help of another person. So please have someone that can spend the next 0.5-2 hours (depending on how many cameras you have) helping you.   In this section, I will guide the reader step by step on how to calibrate the Optitrack Flex3 motion capture cameras properly for their own setup. For this part, you will need the help of another person. So please have someone that can spend the next 0.5-2 hours (depending on how many cameras you have) helping you.  
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   *Turn on the Mocap PC and double click the Arena Icon on the desktop to start the software(the pw for the computer is a std variation, consult other lab members if you don't know what that means).   *Turn on the Mocap PC and double click the Arena Icon on the desktop to start the software(the pw for the computer is a std variation, consult other lab members if you don't know what that means).
   *On the GUI's right-hand side click on the select camera button to import all of the cameras in your setup into the software. Once you click on the button a window will pop-up with all of the cameras that the software was able to find. Double check that all of the cameras you setup are visible, if not double check all of the usb connections and sync cables to make sure everything is plugged in correctly. You can check the device manager to see if there is a specific hub not being pick up.    *On the GUI's right-hand side click on the select camera button to import all of the cameras in your setup into the software. Once you click on the button a window will pop-up with all of the cameras that the software was able to find. Double check that all of the cameras you setup are visible, if not double check all of the usb connections and sync cables to make sure everything is plugged in correctly. You can check the device manager to see if there is a specific hub not being pick up. 
 +{{youtube>s6mWhZ-d1iw?large}} 
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 2. Angling the Cameras 2. Angling the Cameras
   *Once all of the cameras have been found and imported into Arena click and drag the left side of the camera windows to enlarge them until they take up most of the screen. Then right click the camera screen and click the gray point scale option. This will allow you to see an image of what the sensor is seeing besides just reflective points. Then right click again and click on the cross-hair option to add one to the camera screen. You will use this to center the camera.   *Once all of the cameras have been found and imported into Arena click and drag the left side of the camera windows to enlarge them until they take up most of the screen. Then right click the camera screen and click the gray point scale option. This will allow you to see an image of what the sensor is seeing besides just reflective points. Then right click again and click on the cross-hair option to add one to the camera screen. You will use this to center the camera.
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   *Once the centering points have been set up call your friend or acquaintance over to help you. Teach them how to bring up the grayscale and crosshairs on the camera screen, the options can sometimes change when changing from camera to camera, and have them direct you on where to angle the cameras to center them on the cross-hairs. Using the clamps pivots angle the cameras until they are centered on their corresponding marker. e.g. The top row of cameras on the marker on top of the tripod and bottom row on the ground plane marker. Please be careful when moving the cameras around as to not drop or damage them while doing this. The clamps pivots are also very sticky so may need some elbow grease to move around. Use the ladder to reach the top cameras and be careful while on top.    *Once the centering points have been set up call your friend or acquaintance over to help you. Teach them how to bring up the grayscale and crosshairs on the camera screen, the options can sometimes change when changing from camera to camera, and have them direct you on where to angle the cameras to center them on the cross-hairs. Using the clamps pivots angle the cameras until they are centered on their corresponding marker. e.g. The top row of cameras on the marker on top of the tripod and bottom row on the ground plane marker. Please be careful when moving the cameras around as to not drop or damage them while doing this. The clamps pivots are also very sticky so may need some elbow grease to move around. Use the ladder to reach the top cameras and be careful while on top. 
   *While centering the cameras check that there isn't any noise coming into the cameras from reflective surfaces. If the camera is picking up the lens of another camera, move it just enough to where it isn't in range anymore. It is ok if the camera isn't 100% centered in this case.     *While centering the cameras check that there isn't any noise coming into the cameras from reflective surfaces. If the camera is picking up the lens of another camera, move it just enough to where it isn't in range anymore. It is ok if the camera isn't 100% centered in this case.  
 +{{youtube>R3MqVtad-E8?large}} 
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 3. Calibrating the cameras through Arena 3. Calibrating the cameras through Arena
   *Once all of the cameras have been centered on their own respective markers remove the centering markers from within the volume and prepare the calibration wand and the calibration square.    *Once all of the cameras have been centered on their own respective markers remove the centering markers from within the volume and prepare the calibration wand and the calibration square. 
   *click on the wizards menu and choose calibration, this will start the calibration wizard for the cameras. Click next on the pop-up window and follow the instructions to start the calibration phase.    *click on the wizards menu and choose calibration, this will start the calibration wizard for the cameras. Click next on the pop-up window and follow the instructions to start the calibration phase. 
 +{{youtube>LbU1wS6i7q4?large}}
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 You have now finished calibrating the cameras and can now follow move onto the next section which will take you through how to setup a rigid body and then capture and export position-orientation data.  You have now finished calibrating the cameras and can now follow move onto the next section which will take you through how to setup a rigid body and then capture and export position-orientation data. 
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   *Once you have recorded the movement data right click it in the hierarchy tree on the left hand side of the gui within "take" and click trajectorize. This will create trajectories of the movement allowing you to see the change in x,y,z positions of each marker.    *Once you have recorded the movement data right click it in the hierarchy tree on the left hand side of the gui within "take" and click trajectorize. This will create trajectories of the movement allowing you to see the change in x,y,z positions of each marker. 
   *Now right the trajectory created under "trajectories" and choose export BVH. This will export the position and orientation data of the rigid body as a text file.    *Now right the trajectory created under "trajectories" and choose export BVH. This will export the position and orientation data of the rigid body as a text file. 
 +{{youtube>hTfRU8D_2RE?large}}
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- 
- 
 ====Final Words==== ====Final Words====
 Congratulations you have now successfully created, tracked and exported position-orientation data of a rigid body you created! You are have completed this tutorial. If you have any other questions feel free to email me or check the [[http://wiki.optitrack.com/index.php?title=OptiTrack_Documentation_Wiki|opitrack wiki]] for more information not covered in this tutorial.  Congratulations you have now successfully created, tracked and exported position-orientation data of a rigid body you created! You are have completed this tutorial. If you have any other questions feel free to email me or check the [[http://wiki.optitrack.com/index.php?title=OptiTrack_Documentation_Wiki|opitrack wiki]] for more information not covered in this tutorial. 
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 Possible future tutorials that can be derived from this tutorial is the full body tracking of the DRC HUBO or quad-copters within a capture volume.  Possible future tutorials that can be derived from this tutorial is the full body tracking of the DRC HUBO or quad-copters within a capture volume. 
optitrack_motion_capture_system_setup_guide.1493340434.txt.gz · Last modified: by keitaronishimura