Introduction to Augmented Reality
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that brings virtual objects into the physical world. With AR, you may play games, measure spaces, and even interact with virtual objects in your surroundings using just your phone’s camera. However, developing AR applications is just not without its challenges.
Problem 1: Determining the Camera Angle
When using AR, the camera in your phone shows a scene, and a virtual object is superimposed on top of it. The application must define the plane on which the virtual object appears and position it accurately, bearing in mind the angle from which you’re looking at it. The problem is that the camera doesn’t provide details about its location, making it difficult for the applying to know the camera’s position and orientation. To solve this problem, algorithms use special points, akin to marks or surfaces, to find out the camera’s position. These points are called "special" because they’ve unique descriptors that distinguish them from other points.
Problem 2: Recognition of Physical Objects
Another challenge in AR development is recognizing physical objects. For example, if you desire to scan an armchair, the app must determine that the item is an armchair and understand its location relative to the user. The problem is that there are a lot of several types of armchairs, and it’s unattainable to create a regular model that matches all of them. To solve this problem, artificial intelligence algorithms are used to scan and recognize different objects, allowing the app to tell apart between them with high accuracy.
Problem 3: Identifying Plane Boundaries and Occlusion
When using AR, the camera shows a 2D image, and algorithms can only recognize certain key points in that image. However, defining the boundaries of objects and the placement of physical and virtual objects relative to one another is a posh task. For example, in case you put a virtual object behind a physical object, a part of it shouldn’t be displayed. This known as occlusion, and it’s a big challenge in AR development. Startups are working to unravel this problem, and a few have developed successful solutions.
Problem 4: Lack of Computing Power
AR is usually utilized in mobile applications, which have limited computing power. The calculations required to unravel the tasks mentioned above demand significant resources, which imposes limitations on the event process. Currently, only certain devices support AR technology, akin to iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, and iPad Pro. The list of supported devices is out there on the official web sites of ARKit and ARCore technologies.
Conclusion
The challenges discussed in this text are only a number of of the numerous problems faced by AR developers. However, technological advancements are ongoing, and it’s likely that these issues shall be solved soon. As AR technology continues to evolve, it’s going to turn out to be an increasingly necessary a part of our day by day lives, changing the best way we interact with the world around us. With the event of more powerful devices and advanced algorithms, AR will turn out to be more accessible and user-friendly, opening up latest possibilities for entertainment, education, and beyond.
