Head tracking with a web camera and FaceTrackNoIR

FaceTrackNoIR is a free open source head tracking device to detect the movement of your head in simulation games.

In a web browser go to http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/information_links/download.htm

  • Download the full installer
  • Run the SetupFaceTrackNoIR_Full_v170.exe
  • On the select components page uncheck the Protocol for Virtual Jostick(s) in the Interface to games section. You don’t need it now.

In a web browser go to http://www.faceapi.com/Download/register.php

  • Fill out the registration form and open your email for the activation link.
  • Click the Click here to continue link
  • Select the Non-Commercial faceAPI link to downolad the head tracking API
  • Double click the FaceTrackingAPI_NC-V3.2.6.zip
  • Allow the extraction of the included files
  • Install all features the setup_faceTrackingAPI_NC_V3.2.6.exe

In a web browser go to http://sourceforge.net/projects/facetracknoir/?source=dlp

  • Download and install the SetupFaceTrackNoIR_Full_v170.exe file
  • Copy the headtracker folder to C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\bin (sorry I have to research the source of the “headtracker” folder)

Activate the head tracking

  • Double click the FaceTrackNoIR icon on your desktop to start the face tracking application
  • In the Profile group click the Load button.
  • In the  C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\bin\headtracker folder select the DCS_A10C.ini file
  • In the Global Settings group set the Smoothing to 20
  • In the Filter group set the filter to Accelera filter Mk2
  • On the Options menu select Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts
  • For Center select the Middle mouse button
  • Click the Start button to start head tracking

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4 Comments

  1. Ali, I already started to make corrections, but I still have to research the source of the “headtracker” folder.

  2. I found the file for the A10 in
    http://garr.dl.sourceforge.net/project/facetracknoir/Special%20support/ED/64bit_games/64bit_headtracker_ED.zip
    i placed it in the bin folder as you said. Loaded the .ini file from FTnoir, inverted the axis because for some reason each time i look in one direction i would turn in the opposite direction inside the cockpit. Did some tweaking in the curves section to bring down the degrees to a more reasonable proportion and it works. Im using it with the SU25. I have to note as well that even without the headtracker file FTnoir was working inside the game and i only did the whole place folder in bin thinking that it would load a profile that is optimized for DCS.

  3. Ali, thank you for the correction. When we set the system up with my son we tried multiple ways to make it work. I am sure we need to revisit the process to distill it down to the absolute necessary steps. Thanks again for your interest.

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