ntation tracker. There are a number of different types of sensors that can be used. VPL (holders of the patent) made several datagloves, mostly using fiber optic sensors for finger bends and magnetic trackers for overall position. Mattel manufactured the PowerGlove for use with the Nintendo game system, for a short time. This device is easily adapted to interface to a personal computer. It provides some limited hand location and finger position data using strain gauges for finger bends and ultrasonic position sensors. The gloves are getting rare, but some can still be found at Toys R' Us and other discount stores. Anthony Clifton recently posted this suggestion for a" very good resource for PowerGloves etc.: small children. A friend's son had gotten a glove a couple years ago and almost NEVER used it, so I bought it from the kid. Remember children like money more than toys they never use." The concept of an instrumented glove has been extended to other body parts. Full body suits with position and bend sensors have been used for capturing motion for character animation, control of music synthesizers, etc. in addition to VR applications. Position TrackingMechanical armatures can be used to provide fast and very accurate tracking. Such armatures may look like a desk lamp (for basic position/orientation) or they may be highly complex exoskeletons (for more detailed positions). The drawbacks of mechanical sensors are the encumbrance of the device and its restrictions on motion. Exos Systems builds one such exoskeleton for hand control. It also provides force feedback. Shooting Star system makes a low cost armature system for head tracking. Fake Space Labs and LEEP Systems make much more expensive and elaborate armature systems for use with their display systems. Ultrasonic sensors can be used to track position and orientation. A set of emitters and receivers are used with a known relationship between the emitters and between the receivers. ...
