Required Hardware

Minimum Components

Component	Quantity	Reference	Supplier
UWB Anchor	3 minimum, 6 recommended	MaUWB ESP32S3 (DW3000 + PA)	makerfabs.com
UWB Tag	1 per performer	MaUWB Direct	makerfabs.com
USB-C cable	1 per anchor	USB-C data (not charge-only)	-
USB power supply	2	5V 1A minimum	-
Laser distance meter	1	Millimetre precision	-

System Overview

                    ┌─────────┐
                    │  TOPOS  │  ← control room Mac/PC
                    │ :7070   │
                    └────┬────┘
                         │ USB or WiFi
              ┌──────────┼──────────┐
              │          │          │
         ┌────┴───┐ ┌───┴────┐ ┌───┴────┐
         │ A0     │ │ A1     │ │ A2     │  ← anchors (fixed positions)
         │ ESP32  │ │ ESP32  │ │ ESP32  │
         └────────┘ └────────┘ └────────┘
              ▲          ▲          ▲
              └──── UWB radio ──────┘
                    │    │    │
              ┌─────┴┐ ┌┴────┐ ┌┴─────┐
              │ T0   │ │ T1  │ │ T2   │   ← tags (on performers)
              │Direct│ │Dir. │ │Dir.  │
              └──────┘ └─────┘ └──────┘

Anchor Placement

        UPSTAGE (back of stage)
    ┌─────────────────────────────┐
    │                             │
    │  A0 ◆                 ◆ A2 │  ← mounted high (2-3m)
    │                             │
    │                             │
    │            ◆ A1             │  ← facing audience
    │                             │
    └─────────────────────────────┘
          DOWNSTAGE (audience)

Placement rules:

• 3 anchors minimum for 2D trilateration
• Arranged in a triangle, never in a line
• Mounted high (2-3m) to avoid obstructions
• Line of sight between anchors and the tracking zone
• Avoid metallic surfaces in the immediate vicinity

Recommended: Six Anchors

Three anchors is the minimum to get a position. Six is the configuration Topos is run with at Douze Dix-Huit, and the one to plan for:

• Redundancy — a tag hidden from one anchor by a body or a set piece is still seen by the others; positions do not jump when one range drops.
• 3D — with anchors at different heights, the vertical axis becomes usable (see 2D / 3D Trilateration).
• Auto-calibration — the UWB survey (see auto_calibration.md) solves all anchor positions at once from a cross of reference tags; more anchors give the solver more range pairs and a better-constrained result.

Surround the tracking zone — corners first, then the long sides — vary the heights, and never put three anchors in a line. Up to 8 anchors are supported.