OptiTrack launches ActiveIO, the next generation of active tracking with two-way device communication. * Business Wire * 23 hrs ago CORVALLIS, Ore.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Jul 21, 2026- OptiTrack, the global leader in precision motion capture, today announced the launch of ActiveIO, its next-generation active tracking hardware ecosystem. Built for resilience, precision, and operations that scale, ActiveIO represents the new peak of active marker tracking technology - designed for environments where reliability isn't optional and operations can't fail. OptiTrack ActiveIO products, including the HMD Clip, Puck, and Wired CinePuck, deliver flexible 6DoF tracking for VR/XR headsets, cameras, props, and rigid bodies in demanding real-time production environments. The system's breakthrough is a proprietary two-way RF communication protocol that lets OptiTrack's Motive software talk directly with every device in the volume. Each LED self-identifies in light through unique binary patterns, allowing identical objects to be tracked simultaneously in real time without distinctive marker arrangements. Firmware updates push automatically. Battery and status data stream back. And general-purpose input/output (GPIO) ports relay external signals - button presses, joystick input, sensor data - directly into Motive or downstream render engines via NatNet. "With ActiveIO, we built tracking for missions that can't fail. This is a breakthrough for motion capture technology, eliminating the headache of custom marker configurations. By allowing identical objects to self-identify in real time, we are empowering our customers in virtual production, location-based VR, and robotics to deploy faster, track further, and operate with absolute confidence in the most demanding environments." - Sidney Rittenberg, CEO @ OptiTrack Unlike passive markers that rely on reflected light, or older Active Classic products that pulse without unique identification, ActiveIO markers blink on and off between frames in unique binary patterns, so every marker is uniquely identified 100% of the time. With IMU sensor fusion, tracking is possible down to a single marker with 6 DoF rigid body data, delivering accurate rotational data that is robust against occlusion. Additional ActiveIO advantages include extended range with high-power markers visible well past 30 meters; GPIO ports for relaying user inputs through the tracking pipeline; and an IP67-rated BaseStation with redundant RF antennas built for permanent outdoor deployment. The ActiveIO Ecosystem The initial ActiveIO ecosystem launch includes several core components designed to scale: * ActiveIO BaseStation: The heart of the system, managing network coordination and synchronizing cameras with devices via dual RF antennas. IP67 weatherproof rated for permanent outdoor mounting. * ActiveIO Puck: A standalone trackable device providing lightning-fast 6DoF tracking, featuring a factory-installed Tag with 8 LEDs, a rechargeable 12-hour battery, and an IMU. * ActiveIO Tag-8: Compact, lightweight emitters for dynamic object or prop tracking, providing direct access to LED and GPIO ports for custom integration. Similar form factor to previously designed Active Classic hardware for ease of migration. * ActiveIO Wand & Square: High-power, purpose-built calibration tools that track at extended distances. * Wired CinePuck & AnchorPuck: Delivering the highest level of accuracy with 32-bit IMU precision and stable reference tracking for large-scale environments. * HMD Clips: Custom tracking clips that attach to the front of virtual reality headsets, including the HTC Vive Focus 3. Built for the Most Demanding Applications ActiveIO is engineered for the applications that demand the most from a tracking system: location-based VR arenas with identical props or players, in-camera VFX volumes where accuracy is non-negotiable, live theatrical and broadcast productions, and large-scale athletic or tactical training. It also opens new ground in robotics, drone tracking, CAVE environments, and embedded trackables. "This is the only solution that combines ultra-precise active tracking with real-time device updates, status monitoring, and external input relay through GPIO. It's what our customers have been asking for, and it's what comes next for the industry." - Anthony Lazzaro, Sr. Director of Software @ OptiTrack Availability ActiveIO is available for purchase at optitrack.com and shipping now through OptiTrack and its authorized resellers. The platform requires Motive 3.5 or later. For complete specifications, pricing, and ordering, visit optitrack.com/activeio. About OptiTrack OptiTrack is the global leader in precision 3D motion capture, providing the world's most accurate and reliable tracking systems for robotics, virtual production, entertainment, biomechanics, simulation/training, and academic/research environments. With industry-leading technology, real-time software, and fully integrated workflows, OptiTrack delivers sub-millimeter accuracy (as low as 50 microns) at extreme speeds and scale. From engineering labs to film sets to autonomous systems, organizations worldwide rely on OptiTrack as the motion-tracking backbone for their most demanding applications. Visit optitrack.com to learn more. Andrei Miclea KEYWORD: OREGON UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY PHOTOGRAPHY DRONES AUDIO/VIDEO SOFTWARE NETWORKS HARDWARE ROBOTICS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS PUB: 07/21/2026 12:00 PM/DISC: 07/21/2026 12:00 PM (0 Ratings) Business of Sports: Seahawks for Sale, NBA in Vegas

Carnegie Mellon University selects OptiTrack as Motion Capture technology partner for new Robotics Innovation Center. * 3 hrs ago OptiTrack, the world's largest motion capture provider and a pioneer in precision 3D tracking technology for nearly three decades, today announced a multi-year technology partnership with Carnegie Mellon University to equip two research facilities at the university's newly opened Robotics Innovation Center (RIC) with advanced motion capture systems. OptiTrack deployed a combined 92 high-performance cameras across the RIC's indoor Motion Capture Studio and outdoor Drone Cage. Pro-Palestine demonstration outside Southwark Crown Court as separate cases held for alleged protesters Researchers test autonomous robots inside Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Innovation Center using OptiTrack's industry-leading motion capture technology. The partnership pairs two institutions at the top of their respective fields. Carnegie Mellon is internationally renowned for its fundamental and applied research in robotics, automation and artificial intelligence. Its Robotics Institute, founded in 1979 as the world's first university robotics department, is consistently ranked among the world's leading robotics programs. OptiTrack, founded in 1996, has spent nearly 30 years engineering the motion capture systems trusted by thousands of research institutions worldwide. The CMU Robotics Innovation Center The RIC celebrated its grand opening on February 27, 2026, with a ceremony that demonstrated CMU's leadership in robotics, physical AI and cutting-edge technology, and the university's role in bringing these technologies from the lab to real-world deployment. The 150,000-square-foot facility at Hazelwood Green - a revitalized development on the former site of Pittsburgh's historic Jones & Laughlin Steel Mill - houses a 50,000-square-foot robotics testing floor, aquatic research lab, motion capture studio, and a 6,000-square-foot outdoor drone cage. The Systems The indoor Motion Capture Studio features 28 PrimeX41 cameras and 4 Prime Color reference cameras, delivering micron-level accuracy across its full 2,800-square-foot volume. The outdoor Drone Cage is outfitted with 60 VersaX120 cameras - OptiTrack's highest-resolution outdoor camera, engineered with IP66-rated weather protection - covering the full cage volume up to its 38-foot ceiling. Both systems leverage OptiTrack's proprietary ActiveIO Tracking technology to uniquely identify and track hundreds of objects simultaneously. A Partnership Built on Shared Vision "We are proud to partner with CMU's world-class robotics program. This groundbreaking collaboration validates what our customers already know: OptiTrack leads in precision, scalability, and reliability - powered by the most advanced motion capture technology in the industry." - Sidney Rittenberg, CEO, OptiTrack "The future of robotics, physical AI and extended reality will be forged at Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Innovation Center. We are excited to partner with OptiTrack to put their industry-leading motion capture technology in the hands of our researchers. Whether tracking multi-robot systems, drone swarms or human movement, OptiTrack's suite of cameras and sensors will enable a new generation of discovery." - Martial Hebert, Dean, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University Powering the Next Generation of Robotics Research The systems will support a broad range of research programs at the RIC, including autonomous aerial robotics and multi-robot coordination through CMU's AirLab, robotic imitation learning and human activity modeling led by Associate Research Professor Kris Kitani, and work aligned with the university's recently announced Physical AI Accelerator - a state-backed expansion merging robotics, sensing, and intelligent systems. OptiTrack also joined Carnegie Mellon's Extended Reality Technology Center (XRTC) as a sponsor. The XRTC, launched in 2023, brings together researchers, industry and consumers to advance virtual, augmented and other extended reality technologies. Researchers in the XRTC intend to use the OptiTrack equipment at the RIC to recreate movement in the virtual world. About OptiTrack OptiTrack is the global leader in precision 3D motion capture, providing the world's most accurate and reliable tracking systems for robotics, virtual production, entertainment, biomechanics, simulation/training, and academic/research environments. With industry-leading technology, real-time software, and fully integrated workflows, OptiTrack delivers sub-millimeter accuracy (as low as 50 microns) at extreme speeds and scale. From engineering labs to film sets to autonomous systems, organizations worldwide rely on OptiTrack as the motion-tracking backbone for their most demanding applications. Visit optitrack.com to learn more. About Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon, cmu.edu, is a private, internationally ranked research university with acclaimed programs spanning the sciences, engineering, technology, business, public policy, humanities and the arts. Its diverse community of scholars, researchers, creators and innovators is driven to make real-world impacts that benefit people across the globe. With an unconventional, interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial approach, Mycarrollcountynews do the work that matters. Media gallery

Miraxyz showcases a fully integrated immersive experience at ISE 2026 in Barcelona, hosted by OptiTrack. Barcelona, Spain - ISE 2026 - Miraxyz unveiled a high-end immersive experience at ISE 2026 in Barcelona, hosted on the OptiTrack booth. The installation demonstrated how complex immersive systems can be designed, synchronized, and deployed as a single, coherent pipeline. The project was conceived not only as a live demonstration, but also as a transparent showcase of how immersive experiences are built, from motion capture acquisition to final visual output. At the core of the experience was a body motion capture system powered by OptiTrack, combining markerless tracking with marker-based rigid bodies, running simultaneously thanks to OptiTrack's duplex mode. This hybrid approach delivered both flexibility and precision within the same setup. Real-time motion capture data was displayed live on a large LED wall, clearly visible to the audience. A broadcast layer was added through the use of a tracked camera positioned in front of the installation. This broadcast layer highlighted two complementary technologies working together: * XR experience: the LED wall simulated a virtual production LED volume workflow. The content displayed on the LED wall was driven by the camera's position, and from the camera's point of view, the virtual environment extended seamlessly beyond the physical LED wall, creating a fully immersive background. * AR extension set: virtual graphics were added in real time beyond the physical boundaries of the LED wall. This allowed AR elements to appear both inside and outside the LED volume, enabling seamless transitions between the LED wall and the studio stage. A 3D character could move naturally in and out of the LED volume. Technical details. All 3D content was rendered using Unreal Engine, orchestrated by Aximmetry, with two synchronized render engines: * one dedicated to the LED wall content (4 x 2.5 m, 2.6 mm pixel pitch from Planar, driven by a NovaStar MX30 processor) * one dedicated to the augmented reality scene extension To ensure flawless visual and spatial coherence, all devices were genlocked, guaranteeing perfect synchronization across tracking, rendering, and display systems. Camera tracking data was streamed directly from a robotic dolly (Junior series) developed by Microfilms, enabling accurate, real-time camera positioning within the virtual environment. Thanks to automation plugins developed for the Microfilms remote-controlled dolly and for Aximmetry render engines, the entire experience was fully automated and operated from a single control point. All technologies were integrated and calibrated by Miraxyz, who led both the creative and technical direction of the project. Using the CalibFX(R) suite, Miraxyz implemented: * precise camera lens calibration * accurate spatial alignment of the dolly system relative to the LED wall, through advanced calibration workflows leveraging dedicated calibration patterns displayed directly on the LED wall "This project demonstrates our ability to manage the full immersive pipeline and make complex systems work together seamlessly," said Miraxyz. "ISE was the perfect venue to showcase not only the final result, but also the expertise behind it." ISE 2026 was also the opportunity for Miraxyz to unveil its new RigFX - OptiTrack Edition, a dedicated camera tracking hub. This new product enables an even easier and more seamless integration between Miraxyz's expertise in camera and lens calibration and OptiTrack's positional tracking solutions for virtual production. Miraxyz extends its thanks to OptiTrack for hosting the installation and enabling open technical discussions with visitors throughout the show. With this demonstration at ISE 2026, Miraxyz reinforces its position as a trusted partner for designing and delivering complex immersive experiences, from concept to execution.