AR Experiences
More about the project...
I have a list sharing a couple of different AR projects on this page. Otherwise known as augmented reality, AR is accelerating within the tech industry. It should be noted that it is on track to be a mainstream technology by 2022. In fact it opens up the doors to many possibilities. As a result Spark AR and Vuforia are big software in the game right now. The projects on display are Blockville (using Vuforia) and “Which Canuck are you?” (using SparkAR).
With this in mind, I am using these projects to do further research on what augmented reality is and what I can accomplish using these two software’s. In addition I developed both projects solo. For this reason I am responsible for designing how the UI looks and creating all the 3D models. Also, I am responsible for the development of both projects. Blockville is using C# code in the form of text and SparkAR is using C# in the visual form. In summary the visual form works by having different code functions in the collected in boxes that can be edited to perform differently. Finally specific boxes can be connected to others to complete lines of code and develop an overall performance.
Skills developed for the project...
Personal goals for the project...
Taking on these projects is a big opportunity. Before them, AR was a just a thing I had heard about, I didn’t know much about how it worked and what I could do with it. Thus it is a big goal of mine going into these projects. Firstly, what can I do with this software, what can I build? Secondly, another goal, which is for the Blockville project, is to develop my skills in 3D using Autodesk Maya. It’s an industry standard for the gaming industry; Creating the 3D content such as the environments and characters and the film industry regarding special effects.
Vuforia. Before Vuforia, my knowledge of AR was very low. Overall I am very interested in the topic. In fact my interest spiked due to the recent Pokemon Go app at the time. For this reason I am always craving to learn how it can be done. So, my answer… Vuforia. I want to learn how to build basic functions and display 3D models in an augmented world just like Pokemon Go. Thus, I have to further learn C#; Unity uses C# code. Therefore I had used it during the development of the project. I always use multiple Unity research sources to help further my knowledge in code. With that in mind, I am actively learning how the Vuforia database works and how I can make it interact with Unity. In fact Vuforia has a developer portal, which I use as a source to learn. The rest is done through trial and error.
Autodesk Maya. I was taught a lot of key information about Maya through school. Therefore my goal is to further develop my skillset and become more consistent with the software. As a rule producing low expense, clean renders is industry standard and I am always looking to increase efficiency. For this reason this was a perfect opportunity to do so. Without a doubt a perfect time to learn new tools and quick shortcuts that allow me to create and reduce my models down to industry standards.
SparkAR. To increase my knowledge about SparkAR, I self teach the software to myself. With this in mind SparkAR allows you to build social media selfie filters and surface tracking content. In fact the cool thing is, is that SparkAR has its code set up using a visual format. For this reason it makes creating AR content easy for designers which I am stronger in. To self teach myself I have industry contacts that can help with sourcing for the software. Also, I use SparkAR forums a lot; The software is relatively new so the forums are the best source of information.
At the end of the day, my goals were met. I was able to learn all three software and deliver both projects. Therefore I now have a stronger perspective and understanding of AR software and what can be accomplished with the technology. Especially with AR accelerating on the trend line, new and more advanced software is constantly in development to improve efficiency and user experience. Thus, I am always trying to learning about these new discoveries.