Abstract: Disclosed is a system for monitoring operation of a hand tool including an accelerometer coupled to the hand tool, a transmitter in data communication with the accelerometer, and a processor for receiving data from the transmitter and analyzing the data to detect an event associated with operation of the hand tool.

Abstract: A navigation or motion tracking system includes components associated with particular sensors, which are decoupled from a tracking component that takes advantage of information in the sensor measurements. The architecture of this system enables development of sensor-specific components independently of the tracking component, and enables sensors and their associated components to be added or removed without having to re-implement the tracking component. In a software implementation of the system, sensor-specific software components may be dynamically incorporated into the system and the tracking component is then automatically configured to take advantage of measurements from the corresponding sensors without having to modify the tracking component.

Abstract: A new tracking technique is essentially “sourceless” in that it can be used anywhere with no set-up, yet it enables a much wider range of virtual environment-style navigation and interaction techniques than does a simple head-orientation tracker. A sourceless head orientation tracker is combined with a head-worn tracking device that tracks a hand-mounted 3D beacon relative to the head. The system encourages use of intuitive interaction techniques which exploit proprioception.

Abstract: A new fiducial design allows having thousands of different codes. These fiducials are printed on a standard black-and-white (or color) printer and easily could be mounted on a walls, ceiling and objects in a room. The design includes “solid” outside mono-color ring and 2-D dense inside coding scheme. Image processing algorithms are implemented in Smart Camera with a built-in DSP to run all required image-processing tasks. A tracking system implementation includes an inertial measurement unit and one outward-looking wide-angle Smart Camera with possible extensions to number of stationary inward-looking cameras. The system operates in various real-world lighting conditions without any user intervention due to homomorphic image processing processes for extracting fiducials in the presence of very non-uniform lighting.

Abstract: A system for tracking the motion of an object relative to a moving reference frame includes a first inertial sensor mounted on the tracked object; a second inertial sensor mounted on the moving reference frame; a third inertial sensor mounted on the moving reference frame and spaced apart from the second inertial sensor; and an element coupled to said first and second and third inertial sensors and configured to determine a position of the object relative to the moving reference frame based on the signals from the first and second and third inertial sensor.

Abstract: A navigation or motion tracking system includes components associated with particular sensors, which are decoupled from a tracking component that takes advantage of information in the sensor measurements. The architecture of this system enables development of sensor-specific components independently of the tracking component, and enables sensors and their associated components to be added or removed without having to re-implement the tracking component. In a software implementation of the system, sensor-specific software components may be dynamically incorporated into the system and the tracking component is then automatically configured to take advantage of measurements from the corresponding sensors without having to modify the tracking component.

Abstract: A new tracking technique is essentially ”sourceless” in that it can be used anywhere with no set-up, yet it enables a much wider range of virtual environment-style navigation and interaction techniques than does a simple head-orientation tracker. A sourceless head orientation tracker is combined with a head-worn tracking device that tracks a hand-mounted 3D beacon relative to the head. The system encourages use of intuitive interaction techniques which exploit proprioception.

Abstract: A new tracking technique is essentially “sourceless” in that it can be used anywhere with no set-up, yet it enables a much wider range of virtual environment-style navigation and interaction techniques than does a simple head-orientation tracker. A sourceless head orientation tracker is combined with a head-worn tracking device that tracks a hand-mounted 3D beacon relative to the head. The system encourages use of intuitive interaction techniques which exploit proprioception.

Abstract: Inertial trackers have been successfully applied to a wide range of head mounted display (HMD) applications including virtual environment training, VR gaming and even fixed-base vehicle simulation, in which they have gained widespread acceptance due to their superior resolution and low latency. Until now, inertial trackers have not been used in applications which require tracking motion relative to a moving platform, such as motion-base simulators, virtual environment trainers deployed on board ships, and live vehicular applications including helmet-mounted cueing systems and enhanced vision or situational awareness displays, to the invention enables the use of inertial head-tracking systems on-board moving platforms by computing the motion of a “tracking” Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) mounted on the HMD relative to a “reference” IMU rigidly attached to the moving platform.

Abstract: A system is provided having a transmitting transducer for transmitting a burst of energy in response to an electrical drive waveform. The system includes a receiving transducer for generating an electrical signal in response to arrival of the transmitted burst of energy.

Abstract: Inertial trackers have been successfully applied to a wide range of head mounted display (HMD) applications including virtual environment training, VR gaming and even fixed-base vehicle simulation, in which they have gained widespread acceptance due to their superior resolution and low latency. Until now, inertial trackers have not been used in applications which require tracking motion relative to a moving platform, such as motion-base simulators, virtual environment trainers deployed on board ships, and live vehicular applications including helmet-mounted cueing systems and enhanced vision or situational awareness displays, to the invention enables the use of inertial head-tracking systems on-board moving platforms by computing the motion of a “tracking” Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) mounted on the HMD relative to a “reference” IMU rigidly attached to the moving platform.

Abstract: Inertial trackers have been successfully applied to a wide range of head mounted display (HMD) applications including virtual environment training, VR gaming and even fixed-base vehicle simulation, in which they have gained widespread acceptance due to their superior resolution and low latency. Until now, inertial trackers have not been used in applications which require tracking motion relative to a moving platform, such as motion-base simulators, virtual environment trainers deployed on board ships, and live vehicular applications including helmet-mounted cueing systems and enhanced vision or situational awareness displays. to the invention enables the use of inertial head-tracking systems on-board moving platforms by computing the motion of a “tracking” Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) mounted on the HMD relative to a “reference” IMU rigidly attached to the moving platform.

Abstract: A system is provided for determining range to a wave energy source. The system includes a transmitter for transmitting a burst of pulses of wave energy in response to a trigger signal. A receiver is provided for determining a time of arrival of the burst and from such determined time of arrival, the range to the wave energy source. The receiver includes: an envelope detector for detecting an envelope of the burst; a network for producing an output in response to an early point on the detected envelope occurring prior to a peak in the detected envelope; a timer, responsive to the trigger signal and the network output for determining the time of arrival of the burst; and a processor, responsive to such determined time of arrival, for determining the range of the wave energy source from the transmitter.