Robert Juliat SpotMe
Sensor-based assisted followspot — the operator's own moves become position data for the whole rig.
What it is
SpotMe takes the opposite approach to camera-based remote followspots: no cameras, no worn markers. Sensors on the tripod and yoke of a working followspot translate the operator's physical movements into real-time position data over PSN. The operator keeps the feel of a real followspot; the rest of the rig gets a live tracking source it can subscribe to.
How we work with it
We integrate SpotMe where an operator's pickup should become an authoritative position source: designing the PSN merge, mapping which cues follow the operator versus the console or automation, and pairing it with automation-derived data so the two sources hand off cleanly. It's the graceful-fallback layer we reach for when haze or occlusion would blind optical systems.
PSN merge design + per-cue source authority
Pairing with automation-derived position on the same rig
Operator training and pickup rehearsal through tech
Fallback strategy when optical or worn-tracker sources drop
Right when
- You want operator instinct on the pickup and the whole rig reusing it as data.
- Costumes, quick changes, or sightlines rule out worn trackers and cameras.
- The show needs a robust fallback layer that keeps working through fog and haze.
Look elsewhere when
- The goal is fully hands-off tracking with nobody driving — sensor-based systems still need an operator at the spot.
- There's no one to staff the position eight shows a week; automated tracking removes the seat entirely.
How is SpotMe different from camera-based remote followspots?
Camera-based systems relocate the operator behind a screen and put the fixture in the rig. SpotMe keeps the operator on a physical followspot and reads their movement with sensors — the output is position data any subscriber can use, not just one fixture's pan and tilt.
Does the performer wear anything?
No. The sensing happens entirely at the followspot — nothing on the body, nothing to hide in a costume, nothing to survive a quick change.