A radiographic apparatus, comprising: a portable x-ray emitter (110; 710) including an x-ray generating unit in it operative to emit a beam of x-rays toward a target, and the portable x-ray emitter comprising a control system comprising at least a controller and a processor; an x-ray capture stage comprising a platform; a user control on the portable x-ray emitter for activating the x-ray generating unit; a distance sensor on the portable x-ray emitter for determining a distance to a target, the target being a body part of a patient; at least one camera on the portable x-ray emitter for capturing a visible and infrared image of the target and for capturing signals from infrared emitters; a plurality of position tracking implements comprising a number of said infrared emitters, arranged in a specific unique pattern, said position tracking elements being attached to the stage, each position tracking implement configured thereby to generate a unique pattern permitting the at least one camera to capture the unique pattern for the x-ray emitter to determine a relative location in space of the portable x-ray emitter to each of the plurality of position tracking implements, said relative location including the angle of the emission (θ5) from the x-ray generation unit to the platform; wherein the processor in the portable x-ray emitter is in electrical communication with the distance sensor, the x-ray generating unit and the user control, and the processor is operative to prevent the user control from activating the x-ray generating unit based upon the distance to the target provided by the distance sensor; and wherein the controller is adapted to prevent the x-ray emitter from activating, or firing, when the x-ray emitter is not in a safe, valid orientation, said safe, valid orientation being validated using, or employing, or dependent on, or depending on, or involving, at least the said angle of the emission from the x-ray generating unit. a portable x-ray emitter (110; 710) including an x-ray generating unit in it operative to emit a beam of x-rays toward a target, and the portable x-ray emitter comprising a control system comprising at least a controller and a processor; an x-ray capture stage comprising a platform; a user control on the portable x-ray emitter for activating the x-ray generating unit; a distance sensor on the portable x-ray emitter for determining a distance to a target, the target being a body part of a patient; at least one camera on the portable x-ray emitter for capturing a visible and infrared image of the target and for capturing signals from infrared emitters; a plurality of position tracking implements comprising a number of said infrared emitters, arranged in a specific unique pattern, said position tracking elements being attached to the stage, each position tracking implement configured thereby to generate a unique pattern permitting the at least one camera to capture the unique pattern for the x-ray emitter to determine a relative location in space of the portable x-ray emitter to each of the plurality of position tracking implements, said relative location including the angle of the emission (θ5) from the x-ray generation unit to the platform; wherein the processor in the portable x-ray emitter is in electrical communication with the distance sensor, the x-ray generating unit and the user control, and the processor is operative to prevent the user control from activating the x-ray generating unit based upon the distance to the target provided by the distance sensor;