pyheadtracker 0.0.4

Python package for easy interaction with head tracker hardware.

PyHeadTracker

This package provides an interface for interacting with head tracking hardware in Python.

The use of head trackers can greatly enhance the user experience in applications such as immersive audio, virtual reality, gaming, and assistive technologies. By providing precise head position and orientation data, developers can create more immersive and responsive environments for their users. However, interacting with different head trackers and their APIs can be a tedious process. PyHeadTracker aims to simplify this process by providing a unified interface for various head tracking devices in python.

Overview

PyHeadTracker is designed to provide a simple and consistent interface for accessing head tracking data from various devices. The library abstracts the complexities of dealing with different hardware and APIs, allowing developers to focus on building their applications without worrying about the underlying details.

Typically, each head tracker is instantiated as object before opening the connection, e.g.

from pyheadtracker import diy

ht = diy.MrHeadTracker(
    device_name="MrHeadTracker 1",
    orient_format="q",
)
ht.open()

Now you can access the head tracking data using the read_orientation() or read_position() method:

while True:
    orientation = ht.read_orientation()

    if orientation is not None:
        w, x, y, z = orientation

        # Print the quaternion values for debugging
        print(f"WXYZ: {w:7.2f} {x:7.2f} {y:7.2f} {z:7.2f}", end="\r")

Orientation data is provided as Quaternion or YPR (yaw/pitch/roll) object, which can easily be converted to a list or NumPy array. when requesting the poition, a Position object is returned to access Cartesian coordinates.

Examples how to use this package can be found here.

Supported devices

Currently the following head tracking devices are supported:

• Supperware Head Tracker 1
• IEM MrHeadTracker
• Head mounted displays using openXR (only on Windows/Linux)

If you are missing a device, feel free to contact us or open an issue.

Roadmap

In future releases, we plan to support additional head tracking devices and improve the overall functionality of the library. Some of the planned features include:

• Support for SteamVR HMDs (e.g. HTC Vive)
• Dedicated module to send head tracking data over OSC
• Documentation

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License