SBIR-STTR Award

PhaseSpace and the University of Southern California (USC) propose a hybrid tracking solution, combining the next generation PhaseSpace LED tracking technology with computer vision, inertial tracking, low cost sensors and switches. The next generation PhaseSpace system will incorporate miniature Bluetooth-driven infrared LED markers, and 4,000 pixel CMOS linear detectors. This will result in 16 megapixel spatial resolution and sub-millimeter LED tracking at over 2000 frames per second. Leveraging millions of dollars in hardware and software development with the latest advances in electronics and optics, PhaseSpace has developed a 9 megapixel color CMOS image sensors and computer vision software for the US Air Force that will be used commercially for eye tracking, facial expressions and tracking objects that don''t need sub-millimeter resolution. PhaseSpace will work with Analog Devices to integrate 6 degree of freedom (DOF) inertial tracking units. This hybrid system will use low cost Bluetooth RF, microcontrollers, switches and bend sensors to track bodies, weapons, eyes, gestures, and facial expressions in real time. This system is designed to be mass produced for games, robotic, medical tracking and other applications outside traditional motion capture. It will have market appeal for low cost applications where there will never be a full-time operator.

Benefit:
Low cost tracker for Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Medical and Research applications along with Sports Training and physical therapy.

Keywords:
Inertial Tracking, Inertial Tracking, Hybrid Tracking, optical tracking

PhaseSpace will develop software and hardware tools to track humans performing mission critical tasks, enabling precise analysis of skills, ability, and mission readiness. Using work from a previous STTR, PhaseSpace will develop subject-mounted, self-contained motion tracking tools to allow motion tracking and analysis without external cameras by leveraging state of the art Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) devices, accelerometers, gyros and advanced processing software. Sensor power requirements will be minimized by using small subject-mounted control units (smart phone) to monitor and periodically poll the sensors. Data will be archived in the control unit for future use, enabling system use in remote locations, isolated from external optical tracking systems. After demonstration of the concept, option 2 will add monitoring of biometric data such as heart rate, breathing rate, etc.

Benefit:
This technology will allow real-time tracking and performance analysis, allowing monitoring of troop movement and analysis of fatigue symptoms. This will be useful in physical training, but will have commercial application in physical motion analysis for physical therapy and rehabilitative therapy, as well as for sports performance analysis. The skeletal frame system which will be developed to monitor motion is expected to have multiple commercial applications.

Keywords:
performance monitoring, motion-tracking, self-contained performance monitoring system, skeletal frame system