March 31, 2020 – Wikitude has today introduced its SDK 9, a new way for developers to build more sophisticated and immersive augmented reality solutions. With this release, Wikitude introduces a new edition of its AR tool: ‘SDK 9.0 Expert Edition’, which brings advanced AR features for Unity experts. In addition, the company’s standard SDK has also been updated bringing several improvements for the classic AR features for professional developers.
Wikitude Expert Edition is a brand-new product built to better support agencies, enterprises, and professional AR developers that wish to create high-performing AR solutions and experiences in Unity.
The new Wikitude Expert Edition platform introduces advanced augmented reality features that can be used in combination with external native AR frameworks, such as ARKit and ARCore or as a stand-alone tool. Furthermore, the platform was tested and approved by over 20 agencies specialized in AR and is now available for download.
Features of Wikitude’s SDK 9.0 Expert Edition include:
- High-end Image Tracking (single & multiple);
- Cylinder Tracking (single & multiple);
- Object Tracking (single & multiple);
- Multiple Trackers (image + object + positional tracking);
- Support for AR Foundation from Unity;
- Object visualization in Unity Editor.
High-end Image Tracking (single & multiple)
Developers can now instantly recognize and track multiple 2D images in more challenging environments.
The company states that use cases working with a large number of image targets experience robust performance and the possibility of interaction between the different targets. Once targets are recognized, augmentations lock onto the physical image, presenting minimum jitter and high stability. Additionally, lost targets are re-localized with ease and from further distances.
To increase speed of app development, the new high-end Image Tracking technology is available for regular ZIP files containing images in plain JPG or PNG format (no need for pre-processing/WTC conversion).
Cylinder Tracking (single and multiple)
Developers can now create AR experiences that recognize and track images wrapped around cylinder-shaped targets such as drinking cans, wine bottles, longnecks, aluminum tin cans, cosmetic bottles, and other tubular shaped product containers.
Furthermore, the tech is not limited to one target. The multiple cylinder function can track multiple targets simultaneously and allows augmentations to interact with each other.
Multiple Object Tracking
With the increasing number of object tracking use cases deployed across industries, Wikitude now gives developers the ability to build more complex experiences using different kinds of physical objects.
With the Wikitude Expert Edition, developers can now create AR experiences that recognize and track multiple objects at the same time.
Multiple Object Tracking can be used to track identical as well as different types of objects simultaneously, according to the use case, meaning developers can augment toys, industrial machines or any other type of object, all at the same time.
Multiple Trackers (image + object + positional tracking)
Multiple Trackers was first presented in an interactive remote control car racing demo at AWE 2019 and the technology got a lot of traction since its introduction. The feature combines Positional Tracking (ARKit, ARCore), with Wikitude’s Object and Image Tracking. The technology is now available through Wikitude SDK 9.0 Expert Edition.
Support for AR Foundation
AR Foundation is the Unity middleware for wrapping ARKit and ARCore. With the Wikitude Expert Edition, developers can use features from ARKit and ARCore directly without Wikitude integrating them.
Object Visualization in Unity Editor
As the name suggests, with the Expert Edition SDK developers can visualize the object target point cloud directly in the Unity development environment. This feature results in a faster development process when creating Object Tracking AR experiences.
Wikitude Expert Edition can be downloaded here. Developers can also view the documentation and install sample apps available from the download package.
Wikitude SDK 9.0 Professional Edition
In parallel to launching the new Expert Edition, today Wikitude is also releasing an update of the classic Wikitude SDK, which is now called Wikitude SDK Professional Edition.
Traditionally built with various AR features and a broad framework choice, professional developers have the flexibility to create powerful AR apps in JavaScript, Unity, Cordova, Xamarin, Flutter, & Native API.
Wikitude SDK 9.0 Professional Edition features include:
- High-End Image and Multiple Image Tracking – NEW;
- Visualization of .wto in Unity Editor – NEW;
- ARCore update;
- Several performance and stability improvements.
Active Wikitude SDK subscribers are entitled to the respective SDK version updates released throughout their term. Links below to update Wikitude SDK licenses, as well as all other SDK options, can be found here.
For users new to Wikitude, a free Wikitude trial version is available for download for testing purposes.
Image/video credit: Wikitude/YouTube
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About the author
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.