Low-cost multi-view pose tracking using active markers

Abstract

Vision-based motion tracking systems have important applications in robotics and human motion analysis as well as in the entertainment industry. In this paper, we present an overview of a high-precision low-cost motion tracking system that combines active pulsed markers with multi-view pose reconstruction. While many passive-marker tracking systems impose restrictions on marker placement for correct marker identification, active pulsed LEDs allow for rigid body tracking with arbitrary marker placement as well as marker tracking on unknown articulated and deformable bodies. Individual markers are tracked via a path search method, which is robust against short temporary occlusions. Once detected, a rigid body can be tracked via a minimal number of marker observations from a single view or distributed across multiple views, even if the position of each marker could not be reconstructed. Additionally, IMU data can be fused with optical marker tracking to improve precision and robustness against marker occlusions.