Last weeks, the world of the augmented reality has had two well-known protagonists: Apple and Google, thanks to the presentation of his respective platforms of development of augmented reality: ARKit (Apple) and ARCore (Google).
It is a question, in general lines, of two tools that allow developers and users to place digital objects in royal scenes to be visualized in certain Smartphones (those who have the next operating system iOS 11, in case of Apple’s platform, and in telephones Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy S8 for ARCore).
Today, we will speak about ARKit, the first of the platforms which presented something that, in spite of be in a Beta phase, seems to be called to be the next great wave in the diffusion of the augmented reality for the great public, after the indisputable success of the game Pokemon Go in the world of the mobile applications.
Though it seems to be recent, the certain is that we are before a technology that comes being used in the managerial sector for a few years, often across prototypes and design applications for his internal use, from simulators to tools of logistic distribution. But this is something that is on the verge of changing. The next step will be the large-scale irruption of the reality increased in the consumer sector. In this new popular use of the virtual reality they will take the baton giants like Apple, Google or even Snapchat that recently has published the Spectacles, a luck of sunglasses that combines the traditional recording with augmented reality.
How ARKit works?
The first thing that it is necessary to know of ARkit is that it is a platform of free development. Only is necessary an iPhone or an iPad that it should have the next operating system that will present the brand of Cupertino, the iOS 11 (nowadays already available in phase Beta for developers). Across his camera, specially designed for AR in the next iPhone 8, the telephone will map and locate simultaneously a series of points in the place around, which will allow to locate virtual objects on the royal scene. As more realists are these objects as better they will combine with the environment. As soon as our brain perceives the virtual content as physical royal objects it will be possible reach the whole potential that offers the augmented reality. For it, is necessary not only a realistic point of view, but also an suitable size of the objects to his environment and, in addition, they could adapt to the diverse light conditions.
A simple search on the Internet allows us to see some of the uses that this tool will have. For example, the possibility of measuring objects. It is enough to bring the telephone over to the end of a wall or a furniture and cross his surface in order that a metric virtual tape on the screen of our smartphone indicates us his dimensions in an absolutely precise way.
Can you imagine that the letter of the restaurant is allowing to see the aspect of the plate on your table? With the ARkit also you will be able to do it. It was ended to decipher the meaning of the menus, more exotic and strange each time; now you will really know what you are going to eat.
Another possibility that is already known and, in first sight, will turn out in a revolution in the world of the decoration of interiors, is the one which is developed near Ikea to be able to place furniture of the catalogue from the Swedish company in any space. This way we will be able to verify in real time which will be the final aspect of the distribution, the size that is going to occupy or the combination of colors with regard to the rest of objects. The camera and the software identify both the size of the room and the conditions of light to show the furniture with the scale and texture adapted, with which we can see a the space with a realistic effect. It is not difficult to imagine this experience in other many sectors, as in the lines of supermarkets or the real-estate agencies.
It is not risked if we affirm that, in a short period of time, the world of the augmented reality will go beyond placing a few furniture in a room to turn into a tool that will help us in our work or daily activities, showing instructions, tasks or information about royal products.
The fact that ARkit is an opened and simple system for all the users who have an iPhone/iPad it will be allowed that the augmented reality should begin to be used in the private area, indispensable requirement in order that any technology turns in viral.
In general, we can establish five reasons as which, predictably, the ARkit from Apple will have a great impact:
The users of iPhone and iPads are counted by hundreds of millions in the whole world.
The new iPhone 8 will come adapted specifically to the needs of the augmented reality because of the sensors 3D included in his camera.
ARkit will allow to million developers to create professional available applications in Apple’s App Store.
The augmented reality will be affordable in terms of hardware and creation of contents.
The companies and the business will understand the scope and the possibilities that the augmented reality can contribute in his business thanks to these applications.
Today we are focused in how will be able to use the augmented reality, but in 10 years it will be difficult to understand how we could live without her, like it happens nowadays with the smartphones. This is a great opportunity that the ARkit offers us.
If you want to start creating your applications RA with ARKit you can visit his official page on this link.
