How to create a Vertical Environment for your tracking area

Environment configuration in AntilatencyService.
Positioning reference bars in the editor.
Changing the direction and viewing angle of IR markers.
Changing the reference bars position in the editor.
Optimizing the reference bars placement.

Environment configuration in AntilatencyService

To create a new Environment, click on the + sign in the window lower right corner and select the New Environment menu item. Then specify Environment name and select the Pillars type.
It is recommended to use the Antilatency preset to load the branded reference bar settings.

Warning! We suggest using the standard presets. When you create a custom Environment, you take responsibility for the operation of the tracking area. Make sure to contact our support team to check the custom Environment before installing the tracking area.

If necessary, you can reject the manufacturer's suggested values and adjust the reference bar parameters by yourself:

select a reference bar template with two or three IR markers;
set a bar length;
determine a number of bar types and proportions for each type.

The system supports some different IR marker placements in the reference bar. Thanks to this, unique combinations (features) are formed, which allow the tracker to quickly and accurately determine its position in space.

By default, the first and last IR markers are located at the lowest and highest points of the reference bar. The proportion determines the position of the mid IR marker relative to the first, i.e. relative to the lowest point.

Let's take as an example 1.3 meter long reference bar with three markers. By default, the system offers to use 3 bar types with different proportions.

Placing the reference bars in the editor

After defining the parameters, the main editor window will open. It uses the three-dimensional coordinate system (X, Z, Y), as shown in the figure below. The size of the main cells is 1 × 1 m.

Some of AntilatencyService controls:

to zoom in or out of the layout use the mouse wheel;
to move the visible part of the Environment, hold down the middle mouse button and drag it to the side;
to change the tilt angle of the layout (move the camera), hold down the right mouse button;
to return to the default view, double-click the right mouse button.

By default, the Vertical Environment already includes 2 reference bars defining the area center. They differ from the rest of the reference bars added by the user. First pair can only be moved synchronously along two axes (X, Y) of the three available (X, Y, Z). This is to maintain the Environment center during editing and optimization.

Next, you need to indicate the approximate location of the remaining reference bars. To do this, use the + / Add Pillars button on the window left side. When you click on the button, it will be underlined with a red line, and the system will offer bars possible types (which were defined by the user during the initial setup).

Place different types reference bars within the Environment (based on their physical placement).

Save draft Environment with the Save button located in the window upper right corner. Below, in the Environment Data table, the coordinates and type of each reference bar will be displayed.

Changing the direction and viewing angle of IR markers

In AntilatencyService version 4.0.0 and higher, you can adjust the direction and viewing angle of IR markers on reference bars. This allows you to create an Environment with a smaller number of reference bars or even just a pair of bars of the same type, ensuring the uniqueness of the features they form.

To change the viewing zone of the markers select the reference bar, then, holding down the Ctrl button, adjust the angle with the mouse wheel. By default, reference bars have a 360° angle.
To set the direction of the reference bar hold down the Ctrl button, left-click on the selected reference bar, and drag in the desired direction.

Vertical tracking areas (Pillars) created in AntilatencyService 4.0.0 will not be supported in the previous versions of the application.

Changing the reference bars position in the editor

The reference bars position can be adjusted in two ways:

in the visualization window by simple mouse movements;
in the Environment Data window by the required values entering.

Column number	Value
1	X axis coordinate
2	Y axis coordinate (height above floor level)
3	Z axis coordinate
4	Bar type (0 — the first type, 1 — the second type, 2 — the third type)

After reference bars position adjustments, click on the Apply Data button.

Optimizing reference bar placement

Next, you need to optimize the Environment so that the position of the reference bars on it corresponds to the actual one. For this purpose the tool of distance limitation (constraints) is used.

Use a tape measure to estimate the actual distance between 2 neighboring bars.

You should measure the distance taking into account the direction of the bars (IR marker orientation) at the height of the circular indicator as shown in the figure. If the reference bars are at different heights, the distance is measured at the height of the circular indicator of the lower bar.

Do not press the IR markers suspension when measuring the distance!

Then select these bars in the program using the mouse or the Shift + left mouse button combination. After that click on the menu button Add Constraint.

In the window that appears, specify the measured distance between the selected reference bars.

An arrow with dimensions will appear between the reference bars, where the upper number is the measured distance between the bars, and the lower number is the automatically calculated distance on the layout:

if the distance in the Environment is less than the measured distance, then the line and number will be red;
if the difference between the distances is within acceptable limits, then the line and number will be green;
if the calculated distance is greater than the measured one, then the color is blue.

Repeat the procedure for the remaining pairs of reference bars. The more measurements are the better, but it needs not less than three for each bar. After adding all the constraints, press the Optimize button to automatically correct the position.

Now the Environment is fully consistent with the arrangement of reference bars in the room. Click the Save button in the top right corner to save the Environment.