Quick Start Guide

Follow these quick-start checklists each time you use the IFL (this assumes you've already successfully set up your system).

Using IFL1 (MK103)

• Plug in the surge protector strip by the freight elevator (Vicon camera PoE switches)

• Plug in the orange extension cord by the control booth entrance (Vicon lock box and another switch)

• If you are performing a high-precision task, wait approximately 1 hour for cameras to reach thermal equilibrium

• Log in to the PC and open Vicon Tracker. If it throws a license issue or doesn't properly load, someone else is likely logged on with Tracker open, locking out the license. In this case you will need to restart the PC if you can't track down the previous user to get them to log off their profile.

• In Vicon Tracker go to "System">"Local Vicon System">"Show Advanced" and set the following:

  • Requested Frame Rate = whatever you need up to a maximum possible 330Hz, but keep this as low as you can for your project to make the Vicon network run as smoothly as possible

  • UDP Object Stream settings, if you wish for Tracker to broadcast data for single object tracking:

    • Tick "Enabled"

    • Data block size = 256

    • IP Address = "localhost" if using local code on the IFL PC, "192.168.10.2" if broadcasting externally

    • Port = 51001 (other options are possible but unlikely to be needed, see Connecting to the IFL Network for more information

• Set up camera masks

  • Remove everything from the capture space, including yourself, the calibration wand, and your tracking objects (anything reflecting IR will be masked out by the cameras and thus will create dead spots)

  • In Vicon Tracker go to "Calibrate">"Create Camera Masks">"Start"

  • Watch the camera overview panes gradually mask any IR-reflecting pixels from green to blue. Stop once finished.

• Calibrate the space (do this every session once the cameras have reached thermal equilibrium)

  • In Vicon Tracker go to "Calibrate">"Calibrate Cameras">"Show Advanced" and set the following:

    • Wand: 5-Marker Wand and L-Frame

    • Calibration type: Full Calibration on All Cameras

    • Refinement frames: At least 2000, the more the better!

    • Tick "Auto-Stop"

    • Click "Start"

  • Do the "Vicon wand dance" being sure to maximize the simultaneous visibility of all cameras

  • Once the calibration is completed check the "Camera Calibration Feedback" and repeat calibration if necessary. It is totally feasible to have less than 1mm World Error from all cameras

• "Set Volume Origin" by placing the wand at the desired position and axis orientation and clicking "Start"

You are now ready to commence a tracking task!

At the end of your session be sure to:

• Shut down Vicon Tracker as you will block the license for the next user if not

• Unplug the orange extension cable

• Switch off the surge protector strip

• Report any issues to Lee Whitcher

• Remove all trash and all of your equipment