The makers of the well-known augmented reality game Pokemon Go and the Lightship AR platform, Niantic Inc., recently revealed news about the release of Lightship ARDK 3.0, the most recent version of their augmented reality development kit. This version includes new meshing tools, simpler multiplayer assistance, and additional support for Unity.
Niantic claims that this launch is the most complete collection of augmented reality applications and services available, including sophisticated augmented reality for gadgets without lidar (light detection and ranging) such common smartphones and tablets.
When individuals use gadgets like mobile phones or smart spectacles that hover around and seem to be integrated into the environment, augmented reality, or AR, overlays virtual things over what they’re able to view. Developers may use Lightship to programme these items to do a variety of tasks, such as acting as virtual stores, internet sites, informational stations, adverts, and avatars in video games.
The platform makes use of location-based technologies to recognise nearby areas, making it simple for programmers to track and place things using mapping and visual indicators. As a result, when they create a game or programme, it will always be able to monitor a virtual item or component no matter where it exists in the environment. Developers are able to connect with a wider audience with compatibility across platforms for Android and iOS gadgets, as well as support for the Unity graphic and gameplay engine.
According to Brian McClendon, senior VP of engineering and business lead for Niantic channels, Lightship 3.0 is the most comprehensive collection of cutting-edge augmented reality applications and services that makes it easy to interact with and straightforward to improve the world as one knows it. Lightship is a great place to begin for those who want to create completely original real-world smartphone projects from scratch, and is ideal for Unity programmers who wish to add location AR and graphical AR capabilities to their already existing games and programmes.
The main feature of the upgrade is multiplayer cooperation, which enables users to easily join pooled augmented reality events using the Lightship VPS. A user just must direct their phone towards an area that has undergone scanning to join a multiplayer game and be instantly included in an experience. This eliminates the requirement for users to enter a Quick Response code in order to start an AR app.
It does this by using a technique known as meshing, which even on devices with no specialised detectors can generate excellent 3D reconstructions of the surroundings based on lens data. As it can be utilised to help establish the range and shapes of everyday life items, meshing is a key functionality for augmented reality apps. This helps ensure that users have the most enjoyable experience when things change as the user moves about. In this manner as the observer moves, virtual items will appropriately conceal behind anything like a wall, a sofa, or the trunk of a tree.
Since AR applications can now identify their location in the actual world without the usage of codes or specialised representations, Niantic refers to this as bringing the concept of spatial computation to the real world. All they have to do is make use of everything around them as it is.
In order to help developers better comprehend the surroundings, Lightship 3.0 also provides more semantic segment categories, which developers may divide up and use in their apps. Something like the distinctions across the sky, ground-level structures, water, greenery, and other items are examples of semantic segments. Niantic claims that AR applications can now monitor more than 20 distinct classes that contribute to a more authentic interaction.
After being released in beta form in June, Lightship 3.0 is currently generally accessible and free for all developers to use, along with the most recent upgrades, via Niantic’s development site.
