DIY Head Tracker
This is a tutorial to create one of the most cost-effective head-tracking hardware.
Supplies
850nm IR LED 120 degrees spread x 10 $5.32 (test the LEDs before soldering onto wires as some may be duds)
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832779864218.html
heat shrink $4.69
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803265089349.html
resister $15.32 (only need one of the 33 Ohm resistors)
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BNDL6DS
galvanized wire
20 gauge red and black wires
2 AAA battery holder with switch 5 pack $6.89
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B099Z655ZM
850nm filter 17mm square $6.87
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255801048966875.html
Velcro
Hot glue
Solder
Tools
Wire cutter
Wire stripper
Work pad with centimeter square grid
Hot glue gun
Soldering iron
Velcro
Cutting the Wire
Get yourself a metal wire/coathanger and warp it into this shape.
This allows the software to recognize where your head is and how it turns.
Soldering the LEDs
After testing your LEDs to make sure it works appropriately, solder them onto wires.
You will want 2 long, 2 medium, and 2 short-length wires for the LEDS for the 3 positions.
Sold them together and ensure you know Cathode (negative/ground) and Anode (positive/power).
Cathode is the shorter pin of the LED and Anode is the longer one.
Heat Shrink
To avoid shorting and also for the organization, use heat shrink on the wires and make sure it covers soldered parts.
Hot Glue to Frame
Hot Glue the LEDs to the frame of the head tracker.
Glue and shape the wire onto the frame.
Resistor
After soldering all 3 of the LEDs together, you want to get one of the 33 Ohm resistors and solder it to the end of the anode side (red)
Power Supply
Get the power supply and solder the wires onto their respective wires.
The red wire of the power should attach to the end of the resistor.
Put heat-shrink on the wire before soldering.
Glue the Power Supply
Glue the frame on the switch side of the power supply and ensure it is on tightly.
Velcro
Add velcro to the back of the power supply and to your headphone.
Visible Light Filter
Tape over or cover your webcam with the light filter with the reflective part facing out.
Install OpenTrack
https://github.com/opentrack/opentrack/releases
There are some tutorials on YouTube if you are unsure, but scroll and find the win32-setup.exe and click on it.
Select Point Tracker 1.1 in the input section
Adjust the mapping to your liking.
After that, your games should detect OpenTrack when it is turned on.