Introduction
The world is becoming more connected every day, and we have to use the right tools to keep up with this trend. Augmented reality is one such tool that helps us connect with our customers in a way no other technology can. If you want to create an augmented reality app, then here are nine tools you should definitely consider using:
Unity
Unity is a game engine that lets you create 3D and 2D games, apps and experiences. Its ARKit plugin allows you to build augmented reality apps on iOS devices.
Unity is free for personal use and there are paid plans for professional use if your app becomes successful enough (you can find them here).
ARKit
ARKit is a framework for iOS and macOS apps that allows you to build AR applications. It’s a set of tools that gives developers the ability to integrate augmented reality into their apps, allowing users to place virtual objects in real-world environments.
ARKit can be used to create AR apps for iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices running iOS 11 or later versions of their operating systems (including 12).
Vuforia
Vuforia is one of the most popular frameworks for creating augmented reality apps. It’s free to use, and it has a large community of developers who are constantly contributing new features and improvements.
Vuforia also works with ARKit and ARCore, so you can easily port your apps between these platforms.
Blender
Blender is a free and open source 3D creation suite. It can be used to create 3D models for games, architectural visualizations, animated films or industrial design. Blender’s interface is simple and intuitive, allowing for fast and efficient modeling.
Blender also has a great community behind it which means that you can find plenty of tutorials on how to use the program if you get stuck somewhere along the way (or just want some advice).
If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to expensive software like AutoCAD or Maya LT then Blender might be worth checking out!
Leap Motion
If you’re looking to create an augmented reality app, Leap Motion is the tool for you. This device allows you to track your hands in real-time and uses this data to integrate them into a variety of apps. It comes with a mount that attaches it directly onto your laptop screen so that it can track small movements without any lag time or delay; some even say that Leap Motion feels like they are actually moving their hands around in space!
When used with HoloLens 2 technology (which we’ll talk about later), Leap Motion enables users to interact with holograms as if they were real objects sitting on top of surfaces such as tables or shelves. You can use this feature when designing new products or creating educational experiences for children–the possibilities are endless!
HoloLens Developer Edition
HoloLens is a virtual reality headset that lets you see and interact with holograms in your physical world. The HoloLens Developer Edition ($3,000) is available for purchase on Microsoft’s website. It comes with a free trial period of Unity Pro and Visual Studio, but only supports C# as its programming language.
OpenCV (Open Computer Vision)
OpenCV (Open Computer Vision) is an open source computer vision library that provides a wide range of algorithms and tools for image processing, including feature detection and matching, object tracking, video analysis, machine learning and 3D reconstruction. OpenCV can be used in many different languages including C++, Java and Python.
The library provides a large number of functions for image manipulation and analysis such as:
- Image loading/saving (jpeg/png)
- Morphological operations(erosion/dilation)
- Mathematical morphology(open set finding)
- Feature detection & description (SIFT; SURF; BRIEF…)
ThingWorx
ThingWorx is a cloud-based platform for building, deploying and managing IoT applications. It’s used by enterprises to create IoT solutions.
ThingWorx can be used to create AR apps.
These AR tools can help you create an app for augmented reality.
- Unity is a game engine that allows you to create augmented reality apps for iOS, Android, and Windows devices. It also supports the development of virtual reality apps.
- ARKit is an Apple framework that lets you use your device’s sensors (such as camera) to create augmented reality experiences on iPhone or iPad devices.
- Vuforia is an SDK (Software Development Kit) from Qualcomm Technologies Inc., which enables developers to create immersive experiences using computer vision technology in their applications.
- Blender is a free 3D modeling tool that has been used by artists for years now; it allows you to create 3D objects from scratch or import them from other programs such as Maya or Cinema 4D into Blender so they can be modified further before export back out again into another format like OBJ files for use with Unity above!
Conclusion
The tools listed above are just a small sample of the many available for creating augmented reality apps. There are plenty more options out there, including some that are open source and free to use! We hope this list helps you find the right tool for your next AR project.
