Measurement Accuracy of the HTC VIVE Tracker 3.0 Compared to Vicon System for Generating Valid Positional Feedback in...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Virtual Reality
• Human Motion Capture

Background:

• Traditional motion capture systems (e.g., Vicon) are complex and expensive.
• The HTC VIVE Tracker 3.0 presents a potentially more accessible alternative for motion capture.
• Investigating the accuracy of VIVE Trackers is crucial for their adoption in realistic visualizations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the accuracy of the HTC VIVE Tracker 3.0 against the Vicon gold standard.
• To evaluate the impact of base station arrangements and movement velocities on VIVE Tracker accuracy.
• To determine the suitability of VIVE Trackers for athletic movement analysis.

Main Methods:

• Recorded position data from three VIVE Trackers (hip, knee, ankle) on a participant cycling.
• Varied pedaling frequencies (80, 120, 160 rpm) and base station setups.
• Calculated spatial distances between VIVE Tracker and Vicon data for knee and ankle trajectories.

Main Results:

• Lower pedaling frequency (80 rpm) and rectangular base station arrangement yielded highest accuracy (10.4 mm knee, 11.3 mm ankle).
• Accuracy decreased with increased pedaling frequency, with greater impact on ankle (approx. 10 mm) than knee (approx. 5 mm).
• VIVE Tracker accuracy is sufficient for VR visualization and technique quality insights at lower speeds.

Conclusions:

• HTC VIVE Tracker 3.0 provides adequate accuracy for full-body visualization in VR and sports science technique analysis at lower speeds.
• Optimal base station setup and lower movement velocities enhance VIVE Tracker accuracy.
• VIVE Trackers are not suitable for high-precision biomechanical analysis due to limitations in accuracy at higher speeds.