Back to Scene Setup
Introduction
This document discusses the basic tools in the AR_Example.xcomp scene used for the camera lens and tracking calibration testing.
Virtual Floor
The AR_Example.xcomp comes with an adjustable virtual floor. This is useful as it provides a semitransparent virtual grid for reference.
With the correct calibration, the virtual floor and the studio floor should move together in sync.
NOTE: The screenshot displays the Virtual Floor turned ON during a camera calibration test.
NOTE: In most cases, the adjustment of the Virtual Floor's pins is not necessary. In the rare cases where the tracking area is unusually large or distant from the tracking coordinate system's origin point, you'll likely need to adjust it.
Adjusting the Virtual Floor
Select the MARKERS control panel on the INPUTS control board:
Look for the following pins. Adjust their values if needed:
NOTE: The settings on the screenshot above for the Floor X/Z Start/End parameters represent a virtual floor of 10x10 meters.
Transformation: Adjusts the virtual floor's origin point (0, 0, 0 coordinates). Every other Marker is placed relative to this point. The Transformation parameters are as follows:
Pos: Position, in order of appearance, these are the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the virtual scene. These parameters use meters for measurement.
Rot: Rotation, in order of appearance, these are the rX, rY, and rZ coordinates of the virtual scene. These parameters use the degree for the measure.
Pattern Size: Multiplies the virtual floor grid's scale. The default scale value equals 50x50 centimeters for the numbered squares. It is useful to adjust this for larger studio or field areas.
NOTE: The virtual floor's default pattern sizes. The screenshot displays the Show Floor Zero's view at an rX (rotation of the X axis) angle of 90 degrees.
Show Floor: Turns the Floor ON (visible) or OFF.
Floor X Start: Adjusts how far to the left (with Rotation set to 0, 0, 0) from the origin point (0, 0, 0 coordinates) the virtual floor extends. It uses meters for measuring.
Floor X End: Adjusts how far to the right (with Rotation set to 0, 0, 0) from the origin point (0, 0, 0 coordinates) the virtual floor extends. It uses meters for measuring.
Floor Z Start: Adjusts how far backward (with Rotation set to 0, 0, 0) from the origin point (0, 0, 0 coordinates) the virtual floor extends. It uses meters for measuring.
Floor Z End: Adjusts how far forward (with Rotation set to 0, 0, 0) from the origin point (0, 0, 0 coordinates) the virtual floor extends. It uses meters for measuring.
Floor Opacity: Adjusts the virtual floor's transparency (opacity).
Show Floor Zero: Turns the highlight of the virtual floor's origin point (0, 0, 0 coordinates) ON (visible) or OFF.
Reference Points (Markers)
We need physical and virtual reference points to test the camera lens and tracking calibration.
The physical studio camera captures the physical reference points in the studio space.
The virtual camera (the physical studio camera's counterpart in the virtual studio scene) captures the virtual reference points in the virtual studio scene.
Once the reference points' relative positions are matched (in the physical studio space and the virtual studio scene), a correct camera calibration should make them move together in sync in every calibrated range of motion (e.g., pan-tilt, dolly, zoom, etc.).
Example of the positioning of a marker:
For the physical reference point, we recommend choosing a chair, a tripod, a table, etc., or any similar physical object with legs on the floor.
The virtual reference points are called markers in Aximmetry.
Placing the Markers in Aximmetry
Select the MARKERS control panel on the INPUTS control board:
Look for the following pins. Adjust their values if needed:
Marker Amount: Adjusts the number of Markers present in the virtual scene.
Marker Type: Different marker types are available as different shapes may prove more beneficial for testing, depending on the circumstances. The current types include Axes, Cylinder (default value), Cone, Rectangle, Box, Sphere, Image, and Text.
Show XXXX: Turns the Marker(s) ON (visible) or OFF. The second half of the pin's name changes according to the selected Marker Type.
Put It Front: Triggers the Marker to appear in front of the virtual camera.
Cylinder Type Markers
In continuation, we only discuss the setup of the Cylinder Marker Type, as it is set as the default value.
The adjustable parameters of the Markers are placed under the Put It Front pin.
NOTE: Depending on the Marker Amount, the number of adjustable parameters changes (as each Marker's parameters are separately adjustable).
NOTE: Depending on the Marker Type, the listed adjustable parameters change, as different types of Markers have different characteristics.
On the Pin Values panel, go to Put It Front under Show Cylinder. Click on the Trigger.
Adjust the cylinder's position manually by the following parameters:
NOTE: The Cylinder Position represents the distance of the Cylinder from the origin of the virtual scene along (from left to right) the X, Y, and Z axes. It uses meters as the unit of measure.
NOTE: The Cylinder Height uses meters as the unit of measure.
IMPORTANT: Do not adjust the second box (Y axis) of the Cylinder Position if your camera tracking system and physical reference point refer to the same floor level.
Align one or more markers to the physical reference object(s).
NOTE: It is recommended to use at least 2 markers for the tests.
