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IS-1500 User Guide
Thales Visionix, Inc.
MNL- 0024 (D)
Page 52 of 59
U
SING
HO
B
IT
S
ENSORS WITH THE
IS-1500
S
OFTWARE
S
UITE
The IS-1500 Software Suite is now backwards compatible for use with HObIT sensors, with limited functionality.
6.1
Differences and Limitations
6.1.1
Natural Feature Tracking
The IS-1500 Software suite is backwards compatible with the HObIT, but it is not forwards compatible. HObIT sensors are not able to
perform NFT due to hardware incompatibility, but it can be used for fiducial tracking as originally designed with the updated
software suite. This means that HObITs are limited to using sfCore 3-DOF and sfCore 6-DOF modes with sfHub. If sfHub.ini is
configured to use any tracking modes that include the use of NFT, sfHub instead will automatically default to 6-DOF sfCore mode
when a HObIT sensor is connected.
It is important to note that sfHub is a functional replacement for sfRxCore. Traditionally, the HObIT system uses the sfTx program on-
board the sensor to process images for fiducial recognition, and fiducial data is passed to sfRxCore for tracking on the host
computer. Sensor parameters such as exposure settings are configured in sfTx.ini while connection and tracking parameters are
configured in sfRx.ini. By contrast, in the IS-1500 system, the InertiaCam does not have an on-board processor. Instead, raw image
and IMU data is passed directly to sfHub, which performs both image processing and tracking on the host computer. When using the
InertiaCam, sensor, communication, and tracking parameters are all configured in sfHub.info.
When sfHub is used to connect to a HObIT, it acts more closely like sfRxCore. The on-board processing performed by the HObIT is
passed to sfHub, and sfHub only performs the tracking algorithms on the host-computer. This also means that HObIT tracking
parameters are still configured on the sensor using sfTx.ini. sfHub.info does not apply any settings in the InertiaCam section when
used with a HObIT, including exposure settings.
6.1.2
isUnitySample
The provided Unity sample is compatible with the HObIT, but because the HObIT is not capable of 6-DOF tracking without optical
lock on fiducials, the quality and behavior of the tracking data may not function as desired.
6.1.3
sfStudio Features
Several sfStudio features, especially those specific to Natural Feature Tracking, are unavailable when using the HObIT. This means
some displays may have inactive plots and/or buttons. For example, the following are features that are unavailable when using a
HObIT:
Optical Rate Plot in Additional Data
VINS Image in Optical Data Display
GPS Data Display
However, there are also a few features that can only be used with a HObIT, such as:
Harmonization Data Display
Night Mode in Optical Data Display (Only available on HObITs with Day and Night modes)
Data Logger Tool