Lets Create Our First AR Application Using Vuforia Image Targeting
Starting AR can be seen daunting and is true.
We are used to seeing the BIG and WOW stuff done with AR and VR that we automatically think that is impossible to learn it but, just with everything in our life, we need to tackle it from step one.
INSTALLING VUFORIA
Before downloading Vuforia to your unity project make sure is in the “Package Manager” windows, some 2019 LTS version have Vuforia so you can installed but some newer version of 2019 LTS and 2020 LTS do not have it on the “Package Manager”.
To get the latest version of Vuforia just follow the link to download Vuforia Package for Unity:
https://developer.vuforia.com/downloads/sdk
Once you download the package go to your Unity project and import the package to your project 👇
OPEN A DEVELOPER ACCOUNT ON VUFORIA
Since installing and updating Vuforia will take some time, depending on your internet speed, go to Vuforia web page and create a developer account:
Inside your developer dashboard you need to “Get Development Key” in order to use Vuforia, don’t worry is free……well…..in some way. For testing purposes and to get accustom on using Vuforia you can create a free “License Key”, for a more professional application you need to by a “Key”. There's a limit and a difference for each key but there not going to be explain in this post.
Once you have your “Key”, copy it and go back to Unity. Got to Windows, Vuforia configuration and paste the “Key” on “App License Key”.
Now we can jump to the fun part 😁
Deselect or delete the main camera. Right click on the Hierarchy windows, go to Vuforia Engine and select Image Target.
Select the Image Target GameObject and under the Image Target Behavior Script on the Inspector windows, on Type select From Database, this will allows you to select a predefine database of image on your choosing. If you don’t have a database that's okay, Vuforia already has some images we can choose from.
On the Database drop down select VuforiaMars_Images
This images can be found on your Project window, you can print them and use them for testing. If you don’t have a printer you can use your phone to display the image.
Back to the Hierarchy create a Cube Object and place it has a child of the Image Target Game Object. Scale the cube to 0.1 in all is axis (X,Y,Z).
Make sure the cubes is on top of the image your going to use as the target.
Press Play and you, my dear developer, have created your first AR app using Image Targeting
If you do not have a web camera you can build the application as a APK file, install it on your Android phone and run it.
TO BE CONTINUED 😎
