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LPVR-DUO SteamVR Driver Setup Instructions (Aug 26 update)

LPVR-DUO SteamVR Driver Setup Instructions (Aug 26 update)

About this document

This document tells you how to install and how to test an LPVR-DUO system with SteamVR.

The document has 12 steps. Do the steps in the given sequence. Each step ends with a check. Do not continue to the next step if the check fails.

You do not need programming knowledge for this procedure.

Terms

Term

Meaning

Term

Meaning

Headset

The VR/AR head-mounted display (HMD).

Optical tracking system

The camera system that measures position, for example an ART SmartTrack 3 or an OptiTrack system.

Tracking software

The software of the optical tracking system. This is DTrack for ART, or Motive for OptiTrack.

Platform IMU

The LPMS-IG1 inertial sensor that you attach to the vehicle or to the camera. Other LP-Research documents also call this sensor the reference IMU.

Headset IMU

The inertial sensor inside the headset.

Body

An object that the tracking software tracks. Each body has a number. ART calls this number the body ID. OptiTrack calls this object a rigid body.

Marker target

The holder with reflective marker balls that you attach to the headset or to the platform IMU.

Driver

The LPVR-DUO software that sends the tracking data to SteamVR.

Configuration page

The web page of the driver at http://localhost:7118.

Step 1 — Make sure that you have all the parts

Procedure

  1. Put all the parts on a table.

  2. Compare the parts with the table below.

Item

Remarks

Item

Remarks

SteamVR headset

HTC VIVE, HTC VIVE Pro, or Valve Index.

Optical marker target for the headset

LP-Research supplies the target.

Optical tracking system

For example an ART SmartTrack 3, or an OptiTrack system.

LPMS-IG1 IMU

This is the platform IMU.

USB cable, 2 m, for the LPMS-IG1

LP-Research supplies this cable.

Mounting bracket for the platform IMU

The type depends on your optical tracking system. Refer to Step 3.

LPVR dongle

The driver does not operate without this dongle.

Windows PC

Refer to the requirements below.

Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

You need this tool for Step 3.

PC requirements

  • Windows 10, or a later version of Windows.

  • Administrator rights on the PC.

  • SteamVR, version 1.9.16 or later.

  • One free USB port for the LPVR dongle.

  • One free USB port for the platform IMU.

  • One free network port for the optical tracking system.

CAUTION: Do not use SteamVR version 1.16. This version has a known error that decreases the tracking performance.

To select a different version of SteamVR, refer to Controlling SteamVR versions.

Account

You need an LP-Research customer account to download the software. If you do not have the login data, send a message to support@lp-research.com.

Check

You have all the items in the table. If an item is missing, send a message to support@lp-research.com.

Step 2 — Install the optical tracking system

Install the optical tracking system before you install the software. The driver cannot operate without optical data.

This step has three parts:

  • 2.1 — Put the cameras in position.

  • 2.2 — Connect the power and the network.

  • 2.3 — Do the room calibration.

NOTE: If you use an ART SmartTrack 3 with the platform IMU on the camera, do the bracket assembly in Step 3 before you install the camera in the vehicle. In the vehicle you do not have sufficient space for the assembly.

2.1 — Put the cameras in position

Requirements for the position

  1. The cameras must see the marker target of the headset in all head positions of the user. Include the position when the user turns the head to the left and to the right.

  2. Install the cameras in front of the user. A position on the dashboard or on the windshield gives a good view of the head.

  3. Keep the distance between the cameras and the head inside the specified range of your camera system. Refer to the manual of the manufacturer.

  4. If you use more than one camera, install the cameras with a large angle between them. Each marker ball must be visible to a minimum of two cameras.

NOTE: At some positions you cannot reach the network connector after you install the camera. If the connector will be difficult to reach, connect the network cable to the camera before you install the camera.

Requirements for the mount

  1. Attach the cameras to a rigid mount.

NOTE: If you use suction cups, make sure that they hold the camera without movement. Examine the suction cups before each use.

  1. Make sure that the cameras cannot move or turn in relation to the vehicle. Vibration and movement make the tracking unstable.

  2. Fix all the cables to the vehicle. A cable that moves can pull a camera out of position. Also make sure the cables cannot catch in moving parts of the car like the pedals.

CAUTION: If a camera moves after the room calibration, you must do the room calibration again. Make the mount as rigid as possible.

Requirements for the environment

  1. The cameras use infrared light. Sunlight contains infrared light. Keep direct sunlight out of the view of the cameras.

  2. Remove reflective objects from the view of the cameras, or cover them. Examples: chrome parts, glossy paint, safety vests, reflective tape.

  3. If you cannot remove a reflection, use the function of your tracking software to ignore it. In most tracking software, this function is called masking.

image-20251116-054526.png
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Examples of an in-vehicle installation. Left: an OptiTrack camera arrangement in a car. The other images: an ART SmartTrack 3 attached to a car.

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A possible placement of an ART SmartTrack 3. Image from the ART website.

2.2 — Connect the power and the network

  1. Connect the power supply of the cameras. ART and Optitrack Systems are powered over network cables. Make sure to power the PoE (power over ethernet) adapter. Refer to the manufacturer manual for details.

  2. Connect the cameras to the PC with a network cable. Refer to Step 5 for the network settings.

  3. Start the tracking software.

  4. Make sure that the tracking software finds all the cameras.

2.3 — Do the room calibration

The room calibration tells the tracking software where each camera is, and where the floor is. Use the instructions for your tracking software:

Tracking software

Instructions

Tracking software

Instructions

ART DTrack

How to Use ART DTrack, section Room Calibration. Do the calibration with or without a calibration triangle.

OptiTrack Motive

Optitrack Motive Setup, sections Camera Calibration and OptiTrack Axes Configuration. Motive needs a calibration wand for the camera calibration and an axes tool (calibration square) for the ground plane. For the complete procedure from the manufacturer, refer to the OptiTrack Motive calibration manual.

Two settings are important for LPVR-DUO:

  1. The Y axis must point up. In DTrack, select the Power wall coordinate system. In Motive, the ground plane procedure sets the Y axis up. Put the axes tool in the direction that you want for the other room axes.

  2. The floor must be vertically calibrated. Use a water balance or move it such that the floor seems level to you. If the floor is not level, the horizon in the VR content is not level.

image-20230602-021248.png

 

image-20230602-021815.png

 

image-20230602-021514.png

 

OptiTrack Motive. Left: the Camera Calibration pane. Center: the axes tool. Right: the Ground Plane tab.

Check

The tracking software finds all the cameras. The tracking software shows the calibration result as good. The Y axis points up. The floor is level. The cameras see the head of the user in all normal head positions.

Step 3 — Install the platform IMU

The LPVR-DUO system compares the movement of the headset with the movement of the platform IMU. A correct mechanical installation of the platform IMU is necessary.

CAUTION: The platform IMU must not move in relation to the vehicle. If the platform IMU moves, the tracking becomes unstable. The software cannot correct this error.

Bracket types

Use the bracket for your optical tracking system:

Optical tracking system

Bracket

Position of the platform IMU

Optical tracking system

Bracket

Position of the platform IMU

ART SmartTrack 3

LPMHL-IG1BS rev0.9

On the top of the camera.

OptiTrack

LPMHL-MUIG1-WSN

In the vehicle, at a position that the cameras can see.

If you do not have the correct bracket, send a message to support@lp-research.com.

Procedure A — ART SmartTrack 3

  1. Assemble the bracket and the platform IMU on the camera. Obey the instructions in Assembly of IG1 IMU Slide Holder for SmartTrack 3.

  2. Make sure that the M12 connector of the platform IMU points to the rear. This position agrees with the default configuration of the driver.

  3. Tighten all the screws.

  4. Do this assembly before you install the camera in the vehicle. You need more space than the vehicle gives you.

01 Parts.jpg
image-20220825-040933.png

 

Left: the parts of the slide holder. Right: the ART SmartTrack 3 with the LPMS-IG1 installed.

A video of this procedure is available: How to fix the IMU sensor on the camera.

NOTE: Attach the platform IMU with the screws of the slide holder. Do not use adhesive pads, foam, or cable ties only.

Procedure B — OptiTrack

  1. Attach the LPMHL-MUIG1-WSN bracket to the vehicle frame.

  2. Attach the platform IMU to the bracket. Make sure the IMU cannot move wrt the vehicle frame.

  3. Make sure that the cameras can see the platform IMU.

  4. Attach an optical marker target to the platform IMU. You need this target for the calibration in Step 11. You can remove the target after the calibration.

image-20251116-054836.png

 

20260730_160944.jpg

 

An example of a platform IMU installed in a car with an OptiTrack system. This example does not show the LPMHL-MUIG1-WSN bracket.

Check

You cannot move the platform IMU by hand. The bracket and the IMU do not move in relation to the vehicle or to the camera.

Step 4 — Connect the platform IMU to the PC and test it

Procedure

  1. Connect the platform IMU to a USB port of the PC. Use the 2 m cable from the LPVR-DUO set.

  2. Download the LpmsControl 2 installer. Refer to LpmsControl 2 download.

  3. Install LpmsControl 2.

  4. Start LpmsControl 2.

  5. Set the platform IMU to USBxpress mode. If the sensor is in VCP mode, click Convert.

  6. Connect to the platform IMU.

  7. Move the platform IMU or hit the vehicle frame gently. Make sure that the orientation values change.

  8. Disconnect the platform IMU in LpmsControl 2.

  9. Close LpmsControl 2.

image-20201211-045711.png

 

image-20201211-044030.png

 

Left: the USB connection of the LPMS-IG1. Right: LpmsControl 2 in USBxpress mode.

CAUTION: Close LpmsControl 2 before you continue. Two applications cannot use the platform IMU at the same time. If LpmsControl 2 stays open, the driver does not receive IMU data.

If the PC does not find the platform IMU

  1. Download the SiLabs USB driver: SiliconLabsUSBExpressDriver2022.zip.

  2. Run USBXpressInstaller_x64.exe.

  3. Restart the PC.

For more information, refer to Installing LPMS-IG1 for LPVR-DUO.

Check

LpmsControl 2 shows changing orientation values from the platform IMU. LpmsControl 2 is closed.

Step 5 — Connect the cameras to the PC and configure the output

The driver does not communicate with the cameras, but receives the tracking data from the tracking software through the network.

NOTE: For the connection of the cameras and for the operation of the camera software, refer to the manual of your optical tracking system. This document gives only the settings that the LPVR-DUO driver needs.

Procedure A — ART SmartTrack 3 with DTrack

  1. Connect the camera to the PC with the network cable.

  2. Give the PC an IP address in the same subnet as the camera. Example: if the camera address is 192.168.0.1, use 192.168.0.5 for the PC.

  3. Start DTrack.

  4. Click Connect.

  5. Open the Synccard settings. Set the camera frequency to the refresh frequency of the headset, or to two times or one half of this frequency. Example: use 90 Hz for a VIVE Pro.

  6. Open the room calibration. Set the coordinate system to Power wall. The Y axis then points up.

  7. Open the output settings.

  8. Select the outputs ts and 6d.

  9. Set the UDP port. The default port is 5000.

  10. If DTrack and the driver operate on the same PC, select this computer. If not, type the IP address of the PC.

  11. Write down the UDP port number. You need this number in Step 9.

synccard.png

 

1103724786.png

 

output.png

 

outputsettings.png

 

From the left: the Synccard settings, the Power wall room calibration setting, and the output settings with ts and 6d selected.

NOTE: If your PC is connected to more than one subnet, select act as router for tracking output in the DTrack output settings.

For more information, refer to How to Use ART DTrack.

Procedure B — OptiTrack with Motive

Motive does not send the tracking data as UDP packets to a port that you select. Motive uses the NatNet protocol. The driver connects to the NatNet server inside Motive. Therefore you configure IP addresses, and not a single port number.

B.1 — Connect the cameras

  1. Connect the cameras to the PC. Obey the instructions of the manufacturer. Most OptiTrack cameras need a PoE network switch.

  2. Start Motive.

  3. Make sure that Motive finds all the cameras.

  4. Make sure that the camera calibration and the ground plane are set. Refer to Step 2.

B.2 — Create the rigid bodies

  1. Put the marker target of the headset in the view of the cameras.

  2. Select View > Builder Pane. Open the Create tab.

  3. Select the marker balls of the headset in the Perspective View.

  4. Type a name for the rigid body, for example HMD.

  5. Click Create.

  6. Do the same for the marker target of the platform IMU, if the platform IMU has a marker target.

  7. Select View > Info Pane. Select each rigid body. Write down the streaming ID of each rigid body. You need the ID of the headset in Step 9.

image-20230602-025330.png

 

image-20230602-030228.png

 

Left: the Builder pane, Create tab. Right: the Info pane with the real-time output of the rigid body.

B.3 — Enable the NatNet data stream

  1. Select Edit > Settings > Streaming Tab.

  2. Set NatNet Enable to on.

  3. Set the local interface. If Motive and the driver operate on the same PC, select the loopback address 127.0.0.1. If not, select the network interface that is connected to the PC of the driver.

  4. Set the transmission type to Unicast.

  5. Make sure that rigid body data is included in the stream.

    image-20260731-090059.png

  6. Write down the local address, the remote address, the command port and the data port. The default ports are 1510 for commands and 1511 for data. You need to switch on “Show advanced“.

image-20260731-090238.png

 

image-20260731-090421.png

 

NOTE: The driver needs an optitrack source in the configuration file, and not a DTrack source. Refer to Step 9.

For more information, refer to Optitrack Motive Setup and to the OptiTrack Motive documentation.

Check

The tracking software operates. The tracking software shows the marker balls of your marker target. The tracking software shows the rigid body of the headset as tracked.

Step 6 — Set up the marker target of the headset

The driver needs a correctly adjusted body for the headset. If the body is not correct, the user sees an incorrect horizon or an incorrect head position.

Procedure

  1. Attach the marker target to the headset.

  2. Select one of the three methods below.

  3. Write down the body ID of the headset. You need this number in Step 9.

Method

When to use it

Instructions

Method

When to use it

Instructions

Pre-made body file

Use this method first. LP-Research supplies body files for the most common headsets and targets, for DTrack and for Motive.

Predefined Optical Target Configurations

Automatic adjustment

Use this method if no body file is available for your target. This method needs Lighthouse tracking in parallel to the optical tracking.

Automatic HMD / ART-Body Intercalibration

Manual adjustment

Use this method only if the other two methods do not give a good result.

For DTrack: LPVR-CAD / DUO System Calibration (HMD Target Calibration). For Motive: HMD Body Adjustment with Optitrack and the Tracking Body Axes Configuration section of Optitrack Motive Setup.

NOTE: After you load a pre-made body file in DTrack, do a re-calibration in the body setup dialog. In Motive, refine the rigid body in the Builder pane.

image-20201105-073706.png

 

image-20230602-024821.png

 

Left: the required alignment of the body. The origin is between the eyes of the user, on the nose bridge. The gaze direction is opposite to the Z axis. Right: the Builder pane of Motive, Edit tab, where you turn the rigid body into this alignment.

Check

Start the measurement in the tracking software. Put the headset in the tracking volume. The tracking software shows the body of the headset as tracked. Step 10 shows a picture of this condition in DTrack.

Step 7 — Download the software

Procedure

  1. Open https://lp-research.com/customer-area in a web browser.

  2. Log in with your customer account.

  3. Download the installer for the LPVR-DUO middleware.

  4. Unzip the archive.

image-20201105-064120.png

 

image-20201105-064140.png

 

How to download the installer from the customer area.

Check

The unzipped folder contains the installer file.

Step 8 — Install the driver

Procedure

  1. Close SteamVR.

  2. Put the LPVR dongle in a free USB port of the PC.

  3. Run the LPVR-DUO installer. Please ignore the Window warning and run anyway.

    image-20260806-075115.png

  4. Wait until the installer shows the message that the installation is complete.

  5. The installer starts SteamVR.

  6. Look at the SteamVR status window. The LP-Research icons must be visible.

image-20201105-065530.png
The installer after a successful installation.

 

image-20251006-044149.png
The SteamVR status window with the LP-Research icons. The icons show that SteamVR loaded the driver.

NOTE: If SteamVR does not start, start SteamVR manually. Run C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SteamVR\bin\win64\vrmonitor.exe.

Check

SteamVR operates. The SteamVR status window shows the LP-Research icons.

If the icons are not visible, SteamVR did not load the driver. Do Step 9.1 before you continue.

Step 9 — Configure the driver

9.1 — Make sure that SteamVR uses the driver

  1. Start SteamVR.

  2. In the SteamVR status window, click the menu button (the three horizontal lines) in the top left corner.

  3. Select Settings.

  4. Select Startup / Shutdown.

  5. Click Manage Add-ons.

  6. Find the LPVR entry in the list.

  7. Set the LPVR entry to On.