Augmented Reality Blog Post 4: Zappar/Zapworks Studio

Blog Post 4: Zappar/Zapworks Studio

Brandon Li

Zappar

Zappar is a mobile application that is available in both Android and iOS. This application works hand in hand with Zapworks Studio; a desktop application which allows developers to develop Augmented Reality. Users scan a Zap Code which correlates to a project a developer has uploaded to Zapwork's servers. After scanning the code, the user can now see what a developer has made if the object(s) are within range for AR to work.

Zapworks Studio

This desktop application allows a developer to create Augmented Reality objects to overlay real world elements which essentially is what AR is. 

The basic UI of Zapworks Studio is pretty straight-forward. You have the hierarchy to the left and media files which you can upload from anything in your library with a simple drag and drop. Here are some simple steps to where you can create your very own augmented reality experience in a matter of minutes. 

1. First you import a file which you want to overlay. To do this, you must "Train" an object. This makes an object 3D and they are called Targets. Targets file extensions are .zpt.

2. Next you drag your Target to the root in your hierarchy.

3. Then you drag the Plane panel from the right side to your Target in your hierarchy. Scale your plane to the desired size. 

4. Finally upload the media you want to overlay on top of your Target and select it under "Materials" under the properties section of your Plane. 

You are done! Upload your project to Zapwork's servers and you are ready to go! Of course, there are many different settings which you can play with to make your overlay a little more feature pack like add some animations or movements but the overall base is there. Once you have your Zap Code, just scan that with the Zappar app and you can see your very own project come to life.

Have fun creating!

Blog Post 3: Use Cases For Augmented Reality

Blog Post 3: Business Use Cases for AR

Brandon Li


Since 2007, with the release of the Original iPhone, the world has changed a lot. The modern day smartphone boosted the development of Augmented Reality, slowly easing its way into our every day lives. How can the use of AR improve the way we use our technology and use it towards our advantage?

Enterprise

Augmented Reality could be of big use to companies that manufacture products, having the ability to see their own designs, prototypes come to life without actually manufacturing the product. This allows the company to reduce cost of development, materials needed and analyze any flaws before mass producing. Another way of AR helping improve the workflow of factories and having sensors which could provide information such as temperature, pressure and availability of machines. This in turn, increases efficiency and production of factories. One company that has taken advantage of these sensors is CRATUS Technology. Their Bluebrain product connects machines to the Internet of Things, relaying information of sensors to AR/VR headsets. This product is one step closer to a fully connected world which evidently will occur sooner than later.


                                             
                                             1. Cratus Bluebrain

Construction

Sensors are one thing but being able to design a building with 3D tools is on another level. The days of blueprints are over! Assembling and constructing a bridge right in front of the civil engineer's eyes is the way of the future. Before drilling holes in the group to lay pipes, an overlay of existing pipes or power lines could be seen, allowing safer and more efficient excavating of a developed area. The Microsoft HoloLens is already being used in construction of many corporations in China and the US to aid in construction of buildings. Dearborn STEM Academy is a notable example of the use case of AR. The engineer is able to pinch and zoom with his fingers, look at mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and how the entire building can fit together without the use of any paper. An application called SketchUp allows engineer to mark area and add notes or audio clips explaining the problem.

Conclusion

Understanding the use cases for Augmented Reality could provide any Software developer the knowledge they need to stride to develop the next big thing that improves our lives. In the industry, AR is going to aid in development multi-million, even billion dollar projects so it will be a big deal. Construction and production are some of the most important jobs out there, anything to help efficiency is an emerging trend.

Blog Post 2: Getting Started With Augmented Reality

Getting Started 

Before we even begin coding for AR, there are a few steps a developer would need to follow to build an application that suites their needs and vision. This blog post will adhere to a fellow beginner developer of AR.

1. Figuring out which Operating System

There are a lot of Operating Systems out there; First, figuring out which OS you'd like to develop for is an important step. For the purpose of easy accessibility, we will be talking about Mobile development, more specifically Android.

2. 2D or 3D?

This is an important question because without it being answered, you will have a lot of trouble developing the application you want. Do you just want a 2D sticker that is projected onto your screen or do you want to be able to look around your object thus making it 3D? 2D can be developed without the need of an engine but 3D would run a lot smoother if it was built on an existing platform such as Unity. Unity is able to provide rendering of Graphical images to provide a more 3D look such as shadows, movement, textures and even physics.  

3. Finding an AR tool

After answering the previous two questions, you are on your way to start developing but before that, finding the right tools may aid in development of your application. Thankfully, there are a lot out there as AR isn't generally a new technology, it just happened to become popular due to accessibility and wide variety of new applications. A few tools are available for free, many more if you are willing to pay for a developer's version. For this post, we will only talk about two free SDKs.

Vuforia - Qualcomm

Vuforia is a very popular SDK for AR. It's easy for beginners and even a non-programmer can develop an AR application with the ease of use. Vuforia offers both a free version and a several pro versions ranging from $99/month for a cloud service or a $499 one time fee for a classic version. This SDK can ONLY develop for Mobile devices, which is exactly what we're looking for. A bonus with this developmental kit is that it also provides support for Unity engine.

ARToolKit - DAQRi

Another free development kit. This SDK provides a free access to their library aiding development of your application. Unfortunately this SDK is very limited to how much your application will be able to do, mainly 2D marking. On the bright side, this SDK supports more than just Mobile OS but desktop as well. 

Blog post 1

So what is Augmented Reality (AR)? 

AR is a view of the real world with some aspects generated by computers. Very simple AR is just graphics that are generated on top of a camera application on your phone. Such an example of this is Pokemon Go.

How is AR important or useful?

Because of how technology is evolving; AR may very well be our future. A product from Microsoft called Microsoft HaloLens, it project holograms all around your space, which allows the user to video call, play games, art, project ideas and more! AR is going to be important because our life will change by having another dimension that can be layered anywhere and anytime you want. Some companies have already started mass producing products using AR like RideOn's ski goggles. Based on Android, this set of goggles allows you to find your friends, "play" mini games while you're on the slopes, wind speed, personal records, temperature, how fast you're going and even connect your calls.

Ever walked into a restaurant in Montreal but they don't have an English menu? Well there's an app that can help you. Called Word Lens. This AR app can translate many different languages to one that you can read so you can order. Displayed just right from your phone, you are now able to read just as if it was English. These are just a few examples of how AR are implemented.

So how is AR an emerging Trend?

Consumers like to be immersed in the products they buy. Because AR is just another layer on top of the real world, it is a more natural feeling. Pokemon Go took the world by storm at the start of the summer of 2016. This game required people getting out of the house and walking around to find Pokemon and capture them. The game allowed players to turn on their camera and see the Pokemon that they are catching in the real world. Allowing people to see and feel the environment around them made this game succeed.