Placement
Placement can be thought of as an additional transformation of the tracking data that depends on the Alt's position relative to the pivot point of the object the Alt is affixed to.
Any virtual object has a pivot point that sets the position and rotation of this object. For example, for a head-mounted display (HMD) this point is located between the user's eyes.
When you set up the Alt on a physical object, the Alt's pivot point may not coincide with the object's pivot point in virtual reality.
In this article:
- a head-mounted display's pivot point
- a gun model's pivot point
- a camera's pivot point
- an Alt tracker's pivot point
A Head-Mounted Display's Pivot Point
In this case, you have to determine the displacement and adjust the Alt's pivot point relative to the position of the point between the user's eyes.
A Gun Model's Pivot Point
The pivot point of a gun controller can be located near the handle. In this case, the Placement transforms the tracking data in accordance with the offset and rotation of an Alt relative to the pivot point on the weapon handle.
A Camera's Pivot Point
A camera's pivot point coincides with the center of the entrance pupil of a lens (center of perspective). How to find this point is described in article 1, article 2 and this YouTube video.
Avoid using optical zoom (Focal Length changing) while shooting content, because this may shift the pivot point of your camera, which affects the accuracy of the parallax effect. How critical this offset is, and whether it can be ignored, depends on your project requirements. To achieve the perfect parallax effect, you should create and use separate Placements in AntilatencyService for different optical zoom positions.
To attach the socket to the camera, choose a convenient location on the camera body, or manufacture a holder and attach it to the camera. When you choose the location for the socket with an Alt:
- the Alt tracker should be pointed towards the IR-markers of the Antilatency tracking area;
- check if the Alt and the socket do not enter the frame;
- the camera elements, in turn, should not considerably overlap the tracker's view;
- position the tracker’s center along one of the X, Y or Z axes relative to the camera’s pivot point (the lens optical center) to make it easier to measure distances later;
- if possible, the Alt tracker should be rotated to a position with a maximum field of view (FOV).
An Alt Tracker's Pivot Point
The pivot point of the Alt is located 2.62 mm from its backside.
The offset between the Alt’s pivot point and the socket’s backside is 5.71 mm, and together with duct tape – about 6.72 mm.
To configure the Placement's parameters, use the Placements tab of AntilatencyService. You can also do this in your application.