Optical tracking of finger positions

2.3. Solution Assembly simulations and ergonomical studies are major fields for Virtual and Augmented Reality in industry. Both applications require direct object manipulation as the essential interaction method. Finger tracking is a tool, which allows to recognize finger positions without disturbing gloves and cables. Active markers allow to solve both the size and robustness problem: passive markers need a certain minimal size to reflect enough light back to the camera, where active markers produce their own light and thus can be much smaller. Furthermore, the performance of active markers does not significantly degrade when being soiled with fat. CR Categories: H.5.1 [Multimedia Information Systems]: Artificial, augmented, and virtual realities; H.5.2 [User Interfaces]: Interaction styles, Haptic I/O; I.3.1 [Hardware Architecture]: Input devices; J.6 [Computer-aided Engineering]: Computer-aided Manufacturing Therefore, a design with active markers was chosen. Active markers require a power supply. Power-efficient active markers have to be stroked instead of continuously driven, thus needing synchronization with the cameras. Highly efficient lightweight rechargeable batteries, available from digital cameras and mobile phones, and IR synchronization can be used to still maintain the usability requirements.