I contacted FretTrax last year about the open note issue (I asked I if it would work with a zero fret), here's their reply:
"Thanks for getting in touch and for your question. I get that question a lot but unfortunately the answer is 'no' - a zero fret doesn't help at all. I already know, without a zero fret, when a string is open - a string is open if it's not fretted (that's how I turn off a previously fretted note).
So, I could turn on open notes easily without a zero fret - the issue is knowing when NOT to turn them on and when to turn them off. Otherwise, every open string would ring all the time unless you have a mechanism to SELECTIVELY turn on/off open notes. And, that mechanism is 'pluck detect' where a right hand pluck triggers a note - and that note can be open or fretted. That feature is in the works and then FretTraX will have opens, velocity, etc.
All the videos were done with fretted notes only. Some pretty wild things can be accomplished. But, when we add pluck detect (still quite a ways away), things will get even wilder!"