State of the art
analysis – “Wikitude”
The project group
has decided to venture into the field of augmented reality. The last time we
met we discussed the possibility of making an app where travel information
connected to sights surrounding the ferry was the main focus, instead of
information regarding timetables and trip planning. The group unanimously
agreed on an app where augmented reality would be used to display information
regarding the various sights visible from the ferry. The idea is to have users
point their smartphone camera in the direction of any major location while on
the ferry, upon which information regarding the location is shown in real time
on the smartphone screen, with AR. In order to create and conceptualize a good
app it is necessary to look into some of the technologies and systems that are
currently available in the field of “AR”. I have looked a bit into the an
augmented reality SDK called “Wikitude”
“Wikitude” is,
quoting its official website, “The world’s leading augmented reality SDK
(Software Development Kit)”. The technology is compatible with several
different platforms, amongst them are “Android” an “iOS”, which are the most
relevant for the project as we are targeting travellers with smartphones. It
also promise to deliver good performances on the latest smartphone operating
systems, as well as their older versions, meaning that it can help us target
travellers with a wide variety of
different smartphones.
The API
(application programming interface) of the application is promised to be simple
to use. Little to no programming skills are required to start using the
Wikitude SDK, which means an easy to use and understand interface that saves a
lot of time in the process of making the application.
The most vital
aspect of Wikitude, for us in this project, is that it provides the tools to
create location based services. This is necessary so that we can connect
specific locations with elements of augmented reality. The elements of
augmented reality that are to be displayed with the help of location and
geo-data is customizable meaning that we can tailor it to the needs of our
specific application. The augmentation can be in the form of videos, images and
3d models etc.
The SDK is also
compatible with several different mobile software development tools such as
“unity 3d”, “Appcelerator Titanium” and so on.
This makes the integration of “AR”, for developers already familiar with the
above mentioned tools, quite straightforward.
As one can tell
from reading this, Wikitude seems to be a perfect match for our project, at
least on paper. However many reviews mention that the SDK is far from a
complete system and still has several points to work on in order to be regarded
as a fully polished SDK. Compared to many other AR applications and SDK’s,
Wikitude, is still regarded as “worthwhile” and usable.
The picture below
shows an example of how augmented reality can be used with the help of the
Wikitude SDK. The application that is shown below is “The Speaking Celt” and
can be used by visitors at the Museum
of Celtic Heritage in Salzburg
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| The Speaking Celt |
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| The Speaking Celt |
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