Happy New Year from NaturalPoint! We hope you're having an enjoyable holiday season and wish you all the best in the New Year!

Invent with TrackIR!
Are you the kind of person who disassembled the family toaster when you were 7? Well, we have something special for you. NaturalPoint has released a new version of our Software Development Kit that allows you to develop your own TrackIR based optical tracking applications. Feel free to create your own head tracking applications, or use the IR camera for custom development projects!

The SDK is provided in Microsoft Visual C++ with an example application to get you started. You can download it directly from the OptiTrack Support Downloads page. Please note that the SDK is designed as an experimental application and is supported only through our OptiTrack Forums.

Good luck, and let the inventing begin.

Racing News: 6DOF in rFactor
For all you fans of rFactor you'll be happy to know that they are releasing an update that will add full 6DOF capability to their racing simulation. Originally limited to two axes for head tracking, drivers of rFactor can now experience a fully three-dimensional world. With the 6DOF enhancement you can lean forward for a closer look at your gauges or lean back for a slightly wider field of view. You can sit up for a better view over the nose of the car or sit lower for a more aero efficient seating position. Most critical to the purist is the added ability to look into tight corners and check for position on opponents diving up the inside.

rFactor is one of a recent batch of racing simulation games designed to re-create the look and feel of actual racing. Along with an updated graphics engine and physics package rFactor is designed to allow modders the opportunity to create new cars and tracks. rFactor modders have already created Formula 3, Formula Nippon, and most recently a Porsche Carrera Supercup mods, each with the sounds, look, and feel that you would expect.

For a closer look take a peak at NaturalPoint's rFactor 6DOF demo on the rFactor page. You can see first hand what a difference having full 6DOF view control adds, not only in driving and negotiating traffic, but in the total immersive experience.

Other TrackIR 4:PRO Videos
For those of you who haven't yet seen Black Shark or the latest GT Legends demo video we encourage you to do so.

GT Legends, which will be hitting U.S. shores shortly, offers racing fans a chance to drive some of the world's most infamous race cars from an era where the development of speed was far ahead of handling. Our GT Legends demo gives you a first-hand look at how not to turn a fast lap. ("In my defense, I was forced to drive like a madman," says TrackIR Product Manager Patrick Hewitt.)

On the flight side of things, we have been fortunate enough to have Matt Wagner of Eagle Dynamics provide us with a sneak peak at what a Russian Ka-50 Black Shark combat helicopter with a fully drawn 3D cockpit looks like. Check out the BlackShark video and be prepared to have your socks knocked off.

Good News and Better News
The good news is our friends at Bohemia Interactive (of Operation Flashpoint fame) have released a trailer of their upcoming Armed Assault combat simulation. The better news is they have assured us that they are doing everything within their power to include support for TrackIR. This could be the beginning of a whole new era as TrackIR support expands into the field of combat. Let's all keep our fingers crossed. All the details of this amazing new game can be found at http://www.armedassault.com.

TrackIR 4 Reviews
Be sure to take a look at what the press is saying about TrackIR 4:PRO. Visit our Product Reviews page for the latest TrackIR reviews. For instance, in the January/February 2006 issue of PC Pilot Magazine, TrackIR 4:PRO was awarded the Classic Award with a maximum score of 5 of 5. Find out what all the buzz is about!

TrackIR Accessories
Need to upgrade your style for the New Year? Check out our online store for new TrackIR gear! For information on our TrackClips, TrackHats, TrackVisors, apparel, and other accessories, visit the Product Accessories page.