Marshalltown, Iowa -- Mechdyne Corporation’s Software Division has released updates to its trackd middleware that enables interaction in most advanced 3D immersive environments. Trackd now supports the latest Vicon motion tracking technology, NaturalPoint OptiTrack trackers, WorldViz PPT trackers, and USB gamepads and joysticks.
Trackd can be used with large and small immersive displays to allow applications to take advantage of six degrees of freedom tracking and immersive interactive tools. It is a "daemon" application that takes information from a variety of tracking and input devices, such as virtual wands and joysticks, and makes that information available for other applications to use. Interaction technologies compatible with trackd include motion tracking systems from Ascension, A.R.T., Intersense, Motion Analysis, NaturalPoint, Polhemus, and VICON. Supported interaction devices include DirectX joysticks or gamepads, Fakespace PINCH Gloves, SpaceBalls, and virtual wands.
Developers of graphics-based applications can use trackd to add support for a full range of virtual interaction devices without the need to write specific hardware drivers. The generic Application Programmers Interface, called trackdAPI, provides an unprecedented freedom to explore device options and choose the right one for interaction requirements. Developers do not need to know the details of various displays or interaction devices, nor maintain device level support software.
Trackd is used in all Mechdyne software products, including vGeo, CAVELib, and Conduit applications and many applications from leading software companies. Trackd works with a variety of operating systems (Linux 32-bit and 64-bit, Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows XP x64). Additionally, its server/client networking capabilities allow sharing of information from tracking and input devices across systems, including different operating systems.