NDI Tracking Plugin
===================

.. _ndi-tracking-plugin:

Overview
--------

The NDI Tracking module enables connectivity with an NDI tracking device, allowing users to control the device and stream tracking data as a "Tracking Stream" into the ImFusion framework.

Supported devices:

- **Polaris Vega and Polaris Lyra**: Optical tracking system with connection via network.
- **Polaris Vicra and Polaris Spectra**: Optical tracking system with connection via USB.
- **Aurora**: EM tracking system with connection via USB.
- **Ascension (outdated)**: Support for Ascension EM tracking system will be phased out in the future.

.. figure:: Aurora-Polaris.png
    :alt: NDI Tracking Systems
    :align: center

    NDI tracking plugin supports NDI EM tracking systems (Aurora) and NDI optical tracking systems (Polaris Vega/Lyra).

Key Functionalities
-------------------

- **Acquisition Control**: Connect to an NDI tracking device via USB or network.
- **ROM File Handling**: Load predefined or custom ROM files into the tracking system.
- **Tracking Streaming**: Stream tracking poses and tracking quality metrics into the ImFusion framework for further processing.
- **Single Fiducial Readout**: Retrieve positions of individual reflective markers or IR-laser reflections (optical tracking only).

Tool definition (ROM-files)
---------------------------

A tool definition file (formatted as .rom) describes a tool to the Position Sensor. The information
stored in the tool definition file includes the geometry of the tool's markers, the tool’s manufacturing
data, information on marker and face normals, face definitions, and the parameters used to track
tools. For each tool used, the user must provide the system with a tool definition file "Add tracker ...".

Custom ROM-files can be created and edited using the `NDI Cygna-6D` software.

.. note::
	Optical tracking only: If the user is only interested in 3D positions (single/stray markers), no tool definition file is required.


Usage
-----

.. note::
	The ROM-files of the tools must be loaded before the connection to the system is established.

- Select the system type (Polaris or Aurora) and the connection type (USB or Network)
- Enter the IP and port (Network) or the COM port (USB)
- Load ROM-files from disc "Add tracker..."
- "Open" and "Start"