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ART — Advanced Realtime Tracking
Immersive simulation environment with Mechdyne and ART optical tracking
ART — Advanced Realtime Tracking

Advanced Realtime Tracking

Accurate. Reliable. Trusted.

ART captures motion with cameras and sensors — and turns that data into something you can use: in VR and simulation, on the assembly line, in the lab, or in robotics.

Trusted by Mercedes-Benz, ArianeGroup, Bombardier, and many other. More than 2,800 installations worldwide — with DTRACK and VERPOSE®.

Engineer using a VR headset to work on a virtual vehicle model

What ART does

Capture motion — and put it to work

ART builds cameras, sensors, and software for . The captured motion data becomes usable in real time — in VR and simulation, on the assembly line, in the lab, or in robotics. Teams can validate early, measure precisely, and run processes with confidence.

Work with digital worlds

Make virtual models tangible — in design, review, and training, from the to the or with an .

Measure with precision

Capture motion and position reliably — for ergonomics, vibration, deformation, and quality assurance with data.

Control and automate

Guide robots, tools, and remote systems — including in hazardous environments where people cannot intervene directly.

Typical applications

  • Product development
  • Design & prototyping
  • Manufacturing & assembly
  • Robotics
  • Metrology
  • Ergonomics
  • Training & simulation
  • Serious gaming
  • Research & development

Industries & research

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Rail & shipbuilding
  • Mechanical engineering
  • Universities & research
Explore use cases

In practice

VR is revolutionizing the way we work and helping us move from first concept to series production faster.

Markus Schäfer

Chief Technology Officer, Mercedes-Benz Group

Source: LinkedIn post by Markus Schäfer

Mercedes-Benz VR Center

Why ART

Precision

Sub-millimeter accurate 6DOF data in real time — the foundation for every tracking-based application.

Industrial VR reference

Powerwall, CAVE, and HMD tracking at leading automotive and aerospace customers — proven in over 2,800 installations worldwide.

Process-safe assembly

VERPOSE® and DTRACK tool tracking for serial production, robotics, and camera-based assembly validation.

Integration

DTRACK as the central platform: cameras, interaction devices, markers, targets, and complementary software from a single source.

Real-time precision with DTRACK

Marker-based tracking

Real-time precision with DTRACK

DTRACK is the heart of every marker-based optical ART tracking system. The software processes camera data in real time and delivers precise 6DOF poses for head-mounted displays, flysticks, targets, and any object.

  • Powerwall & HMD arena — multi-user VR for design reviews and digital validation
  • CAVE & large scale — immersive simulation at full scale
  • HMD simulation & seating bucks — cockpit, in-car, and full-motion simulators with SMARTTRACK3/M
  • SDK and standard protocols for Unity, Unreal, and industrial integration
Secure assembly with DTRACK and VERPOSE®

Tool tracking

Secure assembly with DTRACK and VERPOSE®

VERPOSE® extends the DTRACK ecosystem with intelligent image analysis for hand-held assembly tools — without markers on the tool. Classic DTRACK tool tracking with Flystick, finger tracking, or targets complements this for marker-based tool guidance in VR and assembly.

  • VERPOSE®: camera-based position recognition via image analysis — ideal for serial assembly
  • DTRACK tool tracking: Flystick, finger tracking, and targets for VR assembly and prototyping
  • Process security in robotics and serial production
  • Combination of 6DOF tracking and visual position validation

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Use Cases & Success Stories

Tracking that delivers in practice

From powerwall and CAVE to robotics and AR/XR and process-safe serial assembly — discover how DTRACK and VERPOSE® are deployed in leading industrial and research projects.

Drone with optical tracking markers in a large-scale AT7-50 camera setup
Research & Inspection

Drone Tracking with DTRACK

Precise 6DOF drone tracking in large volumes — passive markers, AT7-50 cameras, and DTRACK4 for inspection, FPV, and research.

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Large-scale VR tracking installation
Large Scale VR

ART Large Scale Tracking

Boundless VR across large environments — precise real-time tracking for immersive applications in industry, research, and training.

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Virtual vehicle interior development in the Italdesign Concept Lab
Engineering

Italdesign Concept Lab

Italdesign's patented Concept Lab VR system — motorized seating buck, collaborative design reviews, and ART optical tracking for human-vehicle interaction.

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Mechdyne installation on a curved Sony Crystal LED wall with space station visualization
Aerospace

Aerospace simulation

First-of-its-kind 3D visualization for aerospace — curved Sony Crystal LED wall, Mechdyne integration, and 16 ART tracking cameras for immersive design review.

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DICV/BharatBenz Virtual Reality Center in Chennai with ART motion tracking
Automotive

Daimler India Virtual Reality Center

Optical motion tracking in the DICV/BharatBenz Virtual Reality Center in Chennai — serviceability checks, remote collaboration, and precise 6DOF tracking.

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Multi-View 3D installation with Digital Projection INSIGHT 4K and ART motion tracking
VR & visualization

Multi-View 3D with Digital Projection

Multi-View 3D with Digital Projection INSIGHT 4K HFR 360 — up to six users with ARTTRACK and Flystick2 in a shared VR tracking volume.

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Powerwall virtual manufacturing at Bombardier Transportation in Henningsdorf
Rail & transport

Bombardier Virtual Manufacturing

Powerwall virtual manufacturing at Bombardier Transportation in Henningsdorf — IC.IDO, Flystick3, and ART tracking for prototype savings in the rail industry.

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Fendt VR center in Marktoberdorf with 5 m powerwall and ART TRACKPACK4
AgTech

Fendt VR Center Marktoberdorf

Fendt/AGCO VR center in Marktoberdorf — 5 m powerwall with TRACKPACK4 and Flystick2 for virtual prototyping in agricultural machinery development.

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Imsys VR CAVE at The Reef Oostende for offshore training with ART motion tracking
Training & VR

The Reef — Imsys VR CAVE

Imsys VR CAVE at The Reef Oostende — ART TRACKPACK/E for immersive offshore training in the blue economy with precise multi-user 6DOF tracking.

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Four-sided VR CAVE at Berlin University of Applied Sciences with ART motion tracking
Research & education

VR CAVE at BHT Berlin

Four-sided VR CAVE at BHT Berlin — moreViz, motion capture, Manus gloves, and ART tracking from CAD models to food-industry training.

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Five-sided aixCAVE at RWTH Aachen with ARTTRACK motion tracking
Research

RWTH Aachen aixCAVE

RWTH Aachen aixCAVE — five-sided CAVE with 5×5 m floor and ARTTRACK for immersive research and precise optical metrology.

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Largest Mechdyne FLEX system at WSU NIAR in Wichita with eight ART tracking cameras
Aerospace & research

Mechdyne FLEX at WSU NIAR

Largest Mechdyne FLEX system at WSU NIAR in Wichita — eight ART cameras for virtual twins and immersive aerospace research and simulation.

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Dynamicus motion capture at Chemnitz University Institute of Mechanical Engineering with ART tracking
Research & ergonomics

IfM Chemnitz — Dynamicus MoCap

Dynamicus motion capture at IfM Chemnitz — portable ART tracking with force plates for real-time ergonomics and biomechanics research.

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Latest

News

Relaunch of ar-tracking.de — new design with CAVE hero, appointment booking, and tracking configuratorNew

Relaunch of ar-tracking.de

The new ar-tracking.de: appointment booking, 3D tracking configurator, camera comparison, industry solutions, site search, context feedback and so much more!

Read more

Frequently asked questions

Getting started & consultation

It depends on your role: plan VR/XRtracking configurator; secure assemblyVERPOSE® or DTRACK?; integrate trackingintegration & partners; order hardwareART web shop; consultationbook appointment. See all entry points on the home page.

Basics & technology

is ART's central tracking software — the heart of every marker-based system. It processes camera data and delivers precise poses for s, flysticks, s, and other objects in applications. The current generation DTRACK4 is described on the DTRACK4 features page.

Infrared cameras capture reflective s on objects. DTRACK calculates the position and orientation () of each in real time from the image data — with low latency for immersive applications, robotics, and optical metrology. How passive spherical markers send IR light back to the camera is explained in Retroreflection — how glass beads make our tracking possible.

DTRACK stands for marker-based : infrared cameras capture reflective s and calculate poses in real time. uses camera-based image analysis on the tool — a specialized computer vision solution for assembly positions, without s on the tool. Learn more about VERPOSE® on the VERPOSE® product page.

ART systems are used in automotive, aerospace, robotics, mechanical engineering, metrology, and VR/AR training and simulation applications — wherever precise 6DOF data is required. Browse use cases and reference projects by industry and technology.

VR, AR & XR

Yes. DTRACK delivers precise data for head-mounted displays, and installations, and multi-user XR. Typical use cases include collaborative engineering, design reviews, and real-time simulation — also in combination with XR streaming partners. Examples: marker-tracking use cases.

In and environments, teams visualize 3D models at full scale — for example in automotive VR centers or aerospace simulation. ART tracking keeps all users and interaction devices aligned to the millimeter in a shared coordinate system. References: VR/XR applications.

A is a large stereoscopic projection surface — ideal for team presentations and design reviews. A surrounds users with projection walls for fully immersive walkthroughs. An HMD arena combines multiple s in one shared — for multi-user VR with precise alignment. ART tracking keeps all variants in the same coordinate system.

Yes. SMARTTRACK3 and DTRACK deliver precise 6DOF tracking for head-mounted displays in AR and MR applications — from industrial AR training to collaborative engineering and multi-user XR with streaming partners. Camera overview: camera comparison. Reference projects: use cases.

Robotics & assembly

With DTRACK, robots, tools, and moving objects can be tracked in space — from compact volumes to large-scale setups with AT7 cameras. VERPOSE® adds camera-based tool tracking at the assembly station: recognize positions, secure workflows, prevent errors. Overview: robotics solutions. Examples: robotics and assembly with VERPOSE®.

is a camera-based system for hand-held assembly tools. The image analysis software recognizes predefined assembly positions through computer vision and ensures that assembly procedures in robotics and serial production are performed correctly. Product overview: VERPOSE®.

VERPOSE® recognizes assembly positions through camera-based image analysis on the tool — without s on the tool. DTRACK uses reflective s or s on Flystick, finger tracking, or tools for classic tracking — ideal for VR assembly, prototyping, and simulation. Both complement each other in serial production. Guidance: VERPOSE® vs. DTRACK decision tree.

No — VERPOSE® works camera-based and recognizes assembly positions through image analysis. The tool itself does not need additional markers, which simplifies use in robotics and serial production.

Metrology

Optical motion tracking delivers high-precision spatial data for position and orientation measurements. ART cameras such as AT7-50 and AT7-80 are suited for large tracking volumes and demanding measurement tasks — in research, quality assurance, and large-scale VR. Technical data: camera comparison and datasheets.

Hardware & cameras

It depends on tracking volume, mounting space, and environment. SMARTTRACK3 suits compact VR workstations, ARTTRACK6/M for CAVE and tight spaces, AT7-50 and AT7-80 for large-area tracking and metrology. The camera comparison on this website helps you choose.

Yes. ART systems support cascadingSMARTTRACK and ARTTRACK cameras can be combined in mixed arrays to cover large volumes, robotics setups, or complex VR geometries. Details in DTRACK4 features and the user's guide (camera setup).

DTRACK4 runs on Windows 10 or 11. Exact requirements depend on camera count, frame rate, and enabled features — including 2× Gigabit Ethernet and jumbo frames on the tracking PC. See installation guide, p. 26, manuals, and datasheets.

DTRACK software & integration

DTRACK4 is the current generation of ART tracking software — Windows-based and without a dedicated ART Controller. DTRACK3 remains available for existing installations; a license is required before installation. Overview: DTRACK4 features · licensing.

To move from DTRACK3 to DTRACK4, you need an upgrade license — see the DTRACK4 licensing page for term and scope.

ARTTRACK5(/C) cameras can remain in the system when at least one ARTTRACK6/M, AT7-50, or AT7-80 is part of the setup. Older camera types — such as ARTTRACK1/2/3, TRACKPACK(/E), or standalone SMARTTRACK/3/M — are no longer supported with DTRACK4. Full hardware list: DTRACK4 features — cameras.

A free plugin is available for Unity on the Unity Asset Store. For Unreal Engine 4/5, an official DTRACK plugin with Live Link is provided on GitHub. The SDK and further interfaces are in resources — interfaces and the product interfaces section. Developer documentation: programmer's guide.

Overview for integrators and partners: integration & partners — SDK, Unity/Unreal plugins, camera comparison, and shop for markers/accessories. Reference: Mechdyne Aerospace.

Support & resources

The resources section provides manuals (documentation — manuals), technical datasheets, and software updates. For support inquiries and product quotes: contact.