Patent ID: 7668584

Claim:
A passive optical interference apparatus for tracking by a tracking system of an object in space for position and orientation and for interacting with the tracking system, the passive optical interface apparatus comprising: at least three passive detectable devices trackable for position by the tracking system; and a mounting device for receiving the at least three passive detectable devices in a known geometry and adapted for being secured to the object such that a position and orientation of the object is calculable by the tracking system as a function of a tracking of the known geometry of the at least three passive detectable devices, at least a first of the at least three passive detectable devices being secured to the mounting device by a pivot joint, the pivot joint operatively connecting said first of the at least three passive detectable devices for pivotal movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the object, a pivotal displacement of said first of the at least three passive detectable devices to any one of said first position and said second position with respect to the object being detectable to initiate an interaction with the tracking system while maintaining the tracking of the object.