Motion tracking for augmented and mixed reality: how good is good enough?

The proliferation of AR/MR/XR technology continues to grow. However, with few exceptions, the advances in motion tracking to support placement of symbols and images on the real world scene have not kept up. In order for AR/MR/XR to move from narrow niche applications to more general use, motion tracking providing accurate pose will also need to work in diverse environments and conditions. Many additional factors comprise tracking performance, but they are more easily addressed. This paper uses several real-world, dismounted and mounted scenarios to determine the minimum tracking accuracy needed to achieve success. It then proposes a minimum performance specification for motion tracking to support general AR/MR/XR displays.