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Augmented Reality with Unity AR Foundation
Augmented Reality with Unity AR Foundation

Augmented Reality with Unity AR Foundation: A practical guide to cross-platform AR development with Unity 2020 and later versions

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Augmented Reality with Unity AR Foundation

Chapter 1: Setting Up for AR Development

Augmented reality (AR) is widely recognized as the next-generation computing platform where digital content is seamlessly merged into real-world experiences. This book will help get you started with developing your own AR applications using the Unity 3D game engine and the AR Foundation toolkit provided by Unity.

In this chapter, you will take your first steps by setting up your computer for AR development using the Unity 3D game engine. We will begin by briefly defining augmented reality, thus setting the context for this industry and some of the basics of AR technology. We will then install the Unity software, the AR Foundation toolkit, and make sure your system has been set up to develop for Android and/or iOS mobile devices. Finally, we'll build and run a test scene to verify things are working as they should.

We will cover the following topics:

  • Defining augmented reality
  • Getting started with Unity, including installation and using Unity
  • Preparing your project for AR development, including XR plugins, AR Foundation, Input System, and the Universal Render Pipeline
  • Setting up for mobile development (Android ARCore and iOS ARKit)

    Note for Experienced Readers

    If you are already familiar with Unity, already have it installed on your system, and are set up to build for your iOS or Android mobile device, you may be able to skim through details related to those topics that are interspersed in this chapter.

Technical requirements

First, you need a PC or Mac that's capable of running Unity. The minimum requirements are not difficult; almost any PC or Mac today will be sufficient (see https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/system-requirements.html).

If you are developing for iOS, you will need a Mac running OSX with the current version of XCode installed, and an Apple developer account. If you are developing for Android, you can use either a Windows PC or Mac. We will discuss this further throughout this chapter.

It is not practical to develop for AR without a device capable of running your application. For this chapter (and this book as a whole), you will need either an iOS device that supports Apple ARKit (search the web as Apple does not appear to publish a list; for example, https://ioshacker.com/iphone/arkit-compatibility-list-iphone-ipad-ipod-touch) or an Android device that supports ARCore (https://developers.google.com/ar/discover/supported-devices).

Because this chapter is largely about installing tools and packages according to your requirements, please work through the topics in this chapter for additional technical requirements and to learn how to install them. The GitHub repository for this book can be found at https://github.com/PacktPublishing/Augmented-Reality-with-Unity-AR-Foundation.

Defining Augmented Reality

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word augment means "to make greater, more numerous, larger, or more intense," while reality is defined as "the quality or state of being real." Considering this, we realize that "augmented reality" is all about using digital content to improve our real world to add better information, understanding, and value to our experiences.

Augmented reality is most commonly associated with visual augmentation, where computer-generated graphics are combined with actual real-world visuals. When using a handheld mobile phone or tablet, for instance, AR combines graphics with the on-screen video (I call this video see-through AR). Using wearable AR glasses, graphics are directly added to your visual field (optical see-through AR).

But AR is not simply a computer graphic overlay. In his acclaimed 1997 research report, A Survey of Augmented Reality (http://www.cs.unc.edu/~azuma/ARpresence.pdf), Ronald Azuma proposed that AR must meet the following characteristics:

  • Combines the real and virtual: The virtual objects are perceived as real-world objects that are sharing the physical space around you.
  1. Interactive in real time: AR is experienced in real time, not pre-recorded. For example, cinematic special effects that combine real action with computer graphics do not count as AR.
    • Registered in 3D: The graphics must be registered to real-world 3D locations. For example, a heads-up display (HUD) where information is simply overlayed in the visual field is not AR.

To register a virtual object in 3D, the AR device must have the ability to track its location in 3D space and map the surrounding environment to place objects in the scene. There are multiple technologies and techniques for positional and orientation tracking (together referred to as pose tracking), as well as environmental feature detection, including the following:

  • Geolocation: GPS provides low-resolution tracking of your location on the Earth (GPS accuracy is measured in feet or meters). This is usually good enough for wayfinding in a city and identifying nearby businesses, for example, but not for more specific positioning.
  • Image Tracking: Images from the device's camera can be used to match the predefined or real-time 2D images, such as QR code markers, game cards, or product packaging, to display AR graphics that track an image's pose (3D position and orientation) relative to the camera space.
  • Motion Tracking: Using the device's camera and other sensors (including inertial measurement by IMU motion sensors), you can compute your position and orientation in 3D, and detect visually distinct features in the environment. Academically, you may see this referred to as Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM).
  • Environmental Understanding: As features are detected in the environment, such as X-Y-Z location depth points, they can be clusters to identify horizontal and vertical planes, as well as other shapes in 3D. These can be used by your application for object placement and interaction with real-world objects.
  • Face and Object Tracking: Augmented selfie pictures use the camera to detect faces and map a 3D mesh that can be used to add a face mask or other (often humorous) enhancements to your image. Likewise, other shaped objects can be recognized and tracked, as may be required for industrial applications.

In this book, we will be using many of these techniques in real projects with Unity's AR Foundation toolkit, so that you can learn how to build a wide variety of AR applications. And we'll also be learning many other details and capabilities offered by Unity and AR software, all of which we'll use to improve the quality and realism of your graphics and provide engaging interactive experiences for your users.

Like all technologies, AR can potentially be used for better or for worse. A great exposé on a hypothetical disturbing future, where AR is ubiquitous and as consuming as today's mobile media technologies, can be found in this 2016 Hyper-Reality art video by Keiichi Matsuda (http://hyper-reality.co/). Hopefully, you can help build a better future!

Figure 1.1 – Hyper-Reality video by Keiichi Matsuda (used with permission)

Figure 1.1 – Hyper-Reality video by Keiichi Matsuda (used with permission)

In this book, we are using the Unity 3D game engine for development (https://unity.com/), as well as the AR Foundation toolkit package. AR Foundation provides a device-independent SDK on top of the device-specific system features provided by Google ARCore, Apple ARKit, Microsoft HoloLens, Magic Leap, and others. For further reading and to get a good introduction to mobile handheld augmented reality, check out the following links:

Let's start developing AR applications with Unity. First, you'll need to install Unity on your development computer.

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Key benefits

  • Build functional and interactive augmented reality applications using the Unity 3D game engine
  • Learn to use Unity's XR and AR components, including AR Foundation and other standard Unity features
  • Implement common AR application user experiences needed to build engaging applications

Description

Augmented reality applications allow people to interact meaningfully with the real world through digitally enhanced content. The book starts by helping you set up for AR development, installing the Unity 3D game engine, required packages, and other tools to develop for Android (ARCore) and/or iOS (ARKit) mobile devices. Then we jump right into the building and running AR scenes, learning about AR Foundation components, other Unity features, C# coding, troubleshooting, and testing. We create a framework for building AR applications that manages user interaction modes, user interface panels, and AR onboarding graphics that you will save as a template for reuse in other projects in this book. Using this framework, you will build multiple projects, starting with a virtual photo gallery that lets you place your favorite framed photos on your real-world walls, and interactively edit these virtual objects. Other projects include an educational image tracking app for exploring the solar system, and a fun selfie app to put masks and accessories on your face. The book provides practical advice and best practices that will have you up and running quickly. By the end of this AR book, you will be able to build your own AR applications, engaging your users in new and innovative ways.

Who is this book for?

This augmented reality book is for game developers interested in adding AR capabilities to their games and apps. The book assumes beginner-level knowledge of Unity development and C# programming, familiarity with 3D graphics, and experience in using existing AR applications. Beginner-level experience in developing mobile applications will be helpful to get the most out of this AR Unity book.

What you will learn

  • Discover Unity engine features for building AR applications and games
  • Get up to speed with Unity AR Foundation components and the Unity API
  • Build a variety of AR projects using best practices and important AR user experiences
  • Understand the core concepts of augmented reality technology and development for real-world projects
  • Set up your system for AR development and learn to improve your development workflow
  • Create an AR user framework with interaction modes and UI, saved as a template for new projects
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Table of Contents

13 Chapters
Section 1 – Getting Started with Augmented Reality Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 1: Setting Up for AR Development Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 2: Your First AR Scene Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 3: Improving the Developer Workflow Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Section 2 – A Reusable AR User Framework Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 4: Creating an AR User Framework Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 5: Using the AR User Framework Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Section 3 – Building More AR Projects Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 6: Gallery: Building an AR App Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 7: Gallery: Editing Virtual Objects Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 8: Planets: Tracking Images Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 9: Selfies: Making Funny Faces Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Other Books You May Enjoy Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

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benradd Sep 22, 2021
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This book is a must-read for those who are interested in developing Augmented Reality. We are on the cusp of the most significant technological advancement in history and Jonathan makes a deeply technical topic accessible to any reader.Ben Radcliffe, Senior Technical Specialist at Unity Technologies at Unity Technologies
Amazon Verified review Amazon
benradd Sep 22, 2021
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This book is a must-read for those who are interested in developing Augmented Reality. We are on the cusp of the most significant technological advancement in history and Jonathan makes a deeply technical topic accessible to any reader.Ben Radcliffe, Senior Technical Specialist at Unity Technologies at Unity Technologies
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Brian Kenney Sep 27, 2021
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
As a high school instructor, I am always looking for new, up to date resources, and new ideas for my classes. Jonathon Linowes never disappoints. This book steps you through how to set up successful AR experience not only for beginners, but also experienced developers looking learn about AR Foundation and Unity's suite of AR tools. I highly recommend this book for both. The explanations are well thought out, and bring the complexity down to a language I can understand. As an instructor who teachers and uses HoloLens, Magic Leap, AR Kit, and AR Core, this book is the complete guide for using all of these platforms.
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Daniel Sep 26, 2021
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The book takes you step by step through the entire process of creating a fairly solid application, although it depends a lot on the person on how they take the book, it is a magnificent and super well explained guide in each of the steps and gives a pretty overview good how to work these applications
Amazon Verified review Amazon
H Shea Jul 02, 2023
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Apparently useful to have.
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