It has been only a month since Google launched the ARCore 1.0 and we already have a handful of apps from android developers. If you are wondering what ARCore is, it is the Augmented Reality SDK for android from Google. So let us see the basic technology behind ARCore and some of the newly published ARCore experiences on Google Play Store.
Google ARCore Basic Overview
The ARCore is a platform for building augmented reality apps on Android. This technology uses motion tracking, environmental understanding and light estimation to integrate virtual content to the real world seen through the camera. Basically, the ARCore uses the phone camera to identify interesting points aka features. Then it tracks the movement of these points over time with the help of phone camera and inertial sensors.
ARCore also estimates the lighting around it and finally builds its own understanding of the world around it. This allows you to place digital objects, annotations, or other information on the captured real world. For more information, visit Google developer section.
Featured AR Experience Apps
The Android developers have already published a handful of AR experiences which are live on play store. However, you need a supported android device with latest ARCore installed. The list of currently supported devices are Asus Zenfone AR, LG V30, LG V30+, Google Pixel 2, Google Pixel 2 XL, Google Pixel, Google Pixel XL, OnePlus 5, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Samsung Galaxy S8+, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S7, and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Here are some of the AR experiences featured by Google across gaming, shopping and home, and creativity.
ARCore Gaming Experience
ARCore can bring gaming action right on to the environment around you. This unlocks the immersive gaming experience and the endless possibility of new ways to play games.
- My Tamagotchi Forever: It is an ARCore based game in which you can build a virtual town in the real world. Players can also raise Tamagotchi characters while building the Tamatown. You can download this app from Google Play store.
- Walking Dead Our World: It is a location-based game that allows you to fight zombies in real-world environment. This game is using Google Maps API and ARCore which can immerse you in the zombie apocalypse. The app is available for pre-registration on supported devices.
- TendAR: This game features a virtual Guppy fish that react to users facial expressions and eats other peoples emotions. The game is currently in development and will be released by July 2018.
ARCore Shopping & Home Experience
The ARCore allows us to place digital objects in real world. This is being implemented in online shopping, so that you can try out the virtual product in your environment before buying. For example, you can use the AR camera app of a retailer to virtually try out their furniture in your living room.
- Pottery Barn 360 Room View: With this app, you can view the Pottery Barn furnitures in your room. You can match a new furniture piece, choose the colour of the fabric etc using this app. You can install this app straight away from play store if you own a supporting device.
- eBay is using AR to help sellers for determining the shipping box sizes. Curate by Sotheby’s Realty – AR for Real Estate allows you to design future homes and shop for the furnishings.
ARCore Creativity Experience
When it comes to creativity, AR gives a bigger canvas for illustrators, choreographers, animators and many. For this Google has worked with creators across different disciplines to explore the possibilities.
- Just a Line: It is an augmented reality app that allows you to doodle in thin air. Once you have finished the drawing, you can record a video of the doodle from the app itself. The app is available for download from play store. Moreover, this app has been open sourced so that developers can use it as starting point for a new ARCore project. You can learn more about the Just a Line project here.
Conclusion
The Augmented Reality will make the camera in our smartphones smarter. Google Lens is yet another AR app that is being integrated into the apps utilizing the phone camera. This camera app uses AR Core, deep learning skills and artificial neural networks to detect and identify the things around it. The AR technology is still in its early stages, and we are yet to explore its possibilities. Hope the article was informative, Peace!