Free Head Tracking alternatives

While TrackIR ain't that new to us and Oculus Rift is something relatively new, how about some free head tracking solution that uses the webcam instead of external hardware? Heres a little review of such optical motion tracking applications. 

(Things will be different in the year 3000)

Where was that button again? 
It keeps me strugglin. I'm playing so many different vid games that sometimes I forget my controller and keyboard setup. In general, this whole thing makes me sick, it could be so simple: All I need to do is to take a look around the map, especially when playing in cockpit mode. Are buttons a must? Not at all – thanks to everything we life in middle of the future and here we can find nerdish solutions for a better digital lifestyle. So, let's give it a try.

Test experience
Starting with a headbanging session and yeah it works! The download was easy but the installation needs some attention. It seems lots of games support this type of input methods. I also tried this with War Thunder and it was big fun. However, it could lower your ingame FPS (depends). The decision about the right software is a question of choice since both have a unique set of features. Which software fits best, you might ask.

FreeTrack
This software piece can also be used for a better computer accessibility as a kind of input device. It runs with a standard webcam and FreeTrack states the the majority of webcams work with their solution. It uses markers to track your heads movements. Conclusion: You will need to put something onto your head, so in order to make it work you could wear a Headset or a hat. Those markers could be a infrared source, a LED or some retroflective surface material. Freetrack offers a Single Point mode, a 3 Points Clip mode, a Points Cap or 4 Points Cap mode. On their website theres a so called "LED Assembly Wizard" that will teach you how to do the LED part. For a list of supported video games check this link.

FaceTrackNoIR
This software works without a marker. You don't need anything besides a webcam. Also, it can track multiple objects at the same time. It runs with a lot of so called "Protocols" that grant many type of use. You have to choose one of the Trackers and this also means a bit of cunsumption for your individual setup. Then you can pick Filters as presets for different environments (e.g. dark places). This piece of software is modular so we can expect further improvements. FaceTrackNoIR supports about 400 different video games having a special workaround for non-supported games, too. Heres a huge list of supported titles.

Thoughts
In the past, I did a couple of projects with the MS Kinect system and compared to that those free tracking methods are not that sophisticated but at least a cheap workaround that really can be recommended for a better gameplay. But: This might not work in dark rooms or inside a nerds lightless room where theres no way to find the potatoe chips. I'm not sure about the impression we leave to people watching us play like that – it looks a bit strange I guess. And the biggest question that remains ununanswered: What's next, no more buttons? TrackSteering?

Find out more and download one of both:
FreeTrack 
FaceTrackNoIR


Note: As usual this ain't gonna work with Macs or Linux OS.