By Kyle Gavin
This guide will teach you step-by-step how to re-create the most comfortable and stable full body tracking setup I’ve come up with, which reduces tracker movement and need for calibration for long play sessions.
For this guide, you will need: (Listed from top left to Bottom Right)
6x Vive 3.0 Trackers
1 Chest Strap
1 Waist Strap
2x Leg Straps
1 Pair of Laced Shoes
1 Pair of clasping suspenders (or matress straps, buy them here) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075JB16XB/
It is also recommended that you are wearing Denim Jeans with belt loops and a loose fitting t-shirt to follow along with this guide.
First, let’s get a little knowledgeable about the trackers we’re using. These are Vive 3.0 Trackers (Image 1). They’re a small, hockey-puck looking device which detects infrared light emitted from base stations, then calculates its position in 3d space from the laser pattern the base stations emit. Each dimple in the trackers is a single sensor to pick up those laser signals, so it’s best to not cover these, as blocking them can lead to worse quality tracking.
On one of the three pointed sides of the tracker (Image 2,) is the USB-C port for charging the 740 MWh battery inside, lasting ~6-7 hours of continuous use before needing to be recharged. If playing sessions longer than the rated battery life, take the position of this port into consideration for tracker orientation. Having the plugs easily accessible, or in a position for cables to be cleanly and easily routed for charging from the wall or external battery bank, is immensely useful for those sessions that last more than the internal batteries capabilities.
On the bottom of these trackers are a set of pins for other tracker accessories, and a standard ¼-20 threaded nut for attaching to tracking straps or other devices (Image 3.) We’ll be using these ¼-20 threads for attaching our trackers for our waist, chest, and leg straps.
To install one of these trackers onto the strap with the ¼-20 thread, simply line up both the internal and external threads of both the tracker and the strap together (Image 4,) then spin the tracker clockwise until the tracker bottoms out. Make sure the tracker is nicely snug on the strap without overtightening, as you can strip the threads on the trackers or the straps. Repeat this for all straps. (Images 5, 6, and 7)