Introduction to Augmented Reality with ArcGIS Runtime
ArcGIS Runtime has announced support for constructing production-ready, augmented reality (AR) experiences for iOS and Android devices. The ArcGIS Runtime toolkits for Android, iOS, .NET, and Qt have been updated to incorporate a brand new AR view component and API, built on the SceneView and 3D capabilities in ArcGIS Runtime. This allows developers to create immersive AR experiences using device sensors equivalent to a compass and camera.
Types of AR Experiences
There are three primary sorts of AR experiences that will be built using ArcGIS Runtime: Flyover, Tabletop, and World-scale.
Flyover
Flyover AR experiences allow users to explore a scene using their device as a window right into a virtual world. The viewpoint of the camera within the scene responds to the position and orientation of the device. A typical flyover experience starts with the scene’s camera positioned over an area of interest, and the user can touch to vary position or move and rotate the device to navigate the virtual world.
Tabletop
Tabletop AR experiences visualize a scene at a comparatively small scale, just like a 3D model, anchored to a physical surface in the actual world. Scene content overlays a camera feed that represents the actual, physical world. Users can move across the tabletop to view the scene from different angles. This experience is good for visualizing and collaborating around a 3D view of a distant location or work site.
World-scale
World-scale AR experiences visualize a scene at world-scale, where virtual content within the scene and physical content from a camera feed are represented at full-scale, in the identical real-world coordinate system. The location and orientation of the scene camera and device camera must match in order that the real-world location and proportional scale of virtual and physical content match. This experience is good for visualizing and interacting with geographic data on-site, in the sector, in the actual (3D) world.
Building World-scale AR Experiences
The most important challenge to constructing and delivering a world-scale AR experience is maintaining an appropriate level of accuracy for the position and orientation of a tool. Ideally, the overlay of virtual and physical content matches perfectly. As the device moves in the actual world, the position and orientation of each cameras should remain in sync. However, limitations of devices and AR frameworks, and differences within the precision and availability of positioning systems, will normally require an initial calibration effort to enhance overlay accuracy.
Getting Started with ArcGIS Runtime
To start with constructing AR experiences using ArcGIS Runtime, developers can use the guides within the ArcGIS Runtime SDKs. Each guide discusses AR capabilities, presents code examples, and directs developers to the toolkits and samples to assist them rise up and running. The ArcGIS Runtime toolkits are open source, allowing developers to boost the ArcGISARView component to make use of one or a mixture of techniques to drive the calibration experience and maintain position and orientation.
Conclusion
ArcGIS Runtime provides a robust platform for constructing production-ready, augmented reality experiences for iOS and Android devices. With the power to create flyover, tabletop, and world-scale AR experiences, developers can create immersive and interactive experiences that visualize and interact with geographic data in the actual world. By considering the readiness of geographic data and using the guides and toolkits provided by ArcGIS Runtime, developers can construct accurate and fascinating AR experiences that meet the needs of their users.
