Creating 3D content for augmented reality

The information is always evolving. It was initially developed for TVs and other devices in the early 2000s, but it is now available everywhere. The material for 3D augmented reality needs to be as immersive as VR proponents have ever imagined, but without the isolation from the outside world.

The requirement for information that can be adapted to the 3D world is greater the more AR is integrated into our daily lives. It implies that the information must be compelling, realistic, and spatial. Additionally, despite the fact that there are thousands of apps available online, most businesses are still learning what engaging content in AR looks like.

In this article, we'll examine the function of content in augmented reality, the difficulties the sector is now facing, and the potential of spatial content.

Basics of augmented reality content

A user's physical environment can be enhanced using augmented reality material whether they utilise a smartphone, tablet, or smart glasses. It can be created professionally by designers working for businesses and specialist agencies, or it can be user-generated (think of social media face filters).

Although it can also be in visual, audio, or video format, AR material frequently takes the form of 3D models.

The quality of the content you view in the app will make (or break) the AR experience, regardless of whether you're using it to play a game or purchase a new IKEA sofa.

The function of 3D content in experiences with augmented reality

Among the tens of thousands of AR apps available today, the most popular ones share one thing in common: excellent, interesting AR content. If you don't accomplish that, your project runs the incredible 99.9% chance of failing or losing relevance in the app marketplaces.

The core of augmented reality is content. It guarantees that customers have a good incentive to return.

Users may be excited to scan an enhanced wine bottle a few times and tell their friends about it. But how frequently can we anticipate them to revisit the same video?

To ensure the lifespan of an app, businesses must view AR content as a crucial element of long-term, well-thought-out digital initiatives. It entails consistently giving relevant, tailored, and fresh content.

Not as easy as it seems. Building AR content at scale is one of the largest obstacles businesses have that prevents them from maintaining the apps' relevance over time, from high production costs to a lack of experienced personnel.

Building 3D content for augmented reality presents challenges

Perfect digital twins of the real environment must be modelled in 3D. The most common sort of content for AR is made up of these pieces, which, when combined with other rendering components (such as animation, audio, and physics), give an additional immersive layer to the user's experience.

The somewhat difficult process of making such realistic visual elements is hidden from the user. Their creation can transition from a meticulous manual procedure and the reuse of computer-aided data to a process based on photogrammetry.

Size restrictions, file formats, and the overall application size are just a few of the many specifications that developers must comprehend in order to create fantastic augmented reality experiences. Significant industrial hurdles also result from a lack of industry standards for AR content and a shortage of competent workers.

Construction of 3D assets: 3D modelling vs. 3D scanning

There are several fundamental ideas we need to make clear before delving into the specifics of producing content for augmented reality.

3D scanning plus 3D modelling

Building 3D assets for augmented reality can be done by 3D modelling and 3D scanning, respectively.

Computer graphics are used in 3D modelling to provide a 3D representation of any surface or object. Since everything is handled by the computer, this technology is advantageous when used to duplicate actual objects since "it does not require personal interaction with the original". As a result, 3D modelling is perfect for constructing virtual versions of things, settings, and people that don't actually exist (think of Pokémon and other fantastical augmented reality games. For more information visit: https://it-s.com/our-services/2d-3d-modeling/3d-product-models/

Real-world scenes and objects are the starting point for 3D scanning when creating AR assets. By employing this technique, the model is not created by the content producers using a programmed from scratch. Instead, they scan it using either photogrammetry or a 3D scanner device, or both at the same time (LiDAR or similar).

The primary distinction between the two is how the object's data is captured. While photogrammetry uses photographs taken using standard smartphones, smart glasses, or tablets to map an item, scanning needs specialized equipment with depth sensors.

Since no specialised tools are needed, it makes photogrammetry more available to the larger developer community for producing AR content. However, 3D scanners are more dependable.

A point cloud that can be used in the AR experience can be extracted using one of two methods. The section 3D point cloud below has more information on the benefits of each technique.

In the end, you can choose between 3D modelling and 3D scanning by evaluating how accessible the actual thing to scan is. If the chosen AR object target is not available, 3D modelling should be used instead.

How is content for augmented reality in 3D created?

There are many tools for creating AR content on the market. Some don't require coding knowledge and are simple drag-and-drop operations. Others are significantly more sophisticated and are aimed at seasoned professionals.

An overview of the many options is provided below:

A 3D point cloud in augmented reality (AR) is a digital representation of the geometry of actual things made up of a number of points. These points, which are created using photogrammetry software or 3D scanners, are taken based on the outside surfaces of things.

Photogrammetry makes content production more accessible since it enables the extraction of 3D data from 2D photos. It solves the ownership problems that 3D models frequently have. Since everyone can capture or scan a real thing, anyone can build 3D models. The market for 3D scanners is steadily expanding, and systems with LidAR capabilities, for instance, can produce point clouds with greater level of detail.

Examples of photogrammetry-based software include Wikitude Studio, Apple Object Capture, and Amazon Sumerian.

A initial product vision can be brought to life in the digital realm using CAD (Computer-Aided Design) models, which are frequently the first step in developing physical goods. With the aid of software tools, augmented reality developers can adapt old CAD models for their projects. The output technique for creating digital representations of the object or environment to be enhanced can then be existing CAD data.

CAD data is transformed into an AR-compatible format for smartphones, tablets, and smart glasses after being uploaded into the chosen programmed. The possibility for a trustworthy AR experience is maximized by the accurate information that CAD models normally provide about the object. CAD-based AR experiences, albeit common in the industrial sector, are steadily gaining favor for consumer-facing apps.

Games and computer graphics are both common AR content types that are created using authoring software tools like Blender, 3ds Max, and Maya. The best tools for putting the many bits of content together and making them function as one unit for augmented reality are Unity, Unreal Engine, and even Apple's Reality Composer.

Other 3D models: In addition to CAD, common 3D model formats like glTF 2.0, FBX, Obj, etc. can be used to power augmented reality applications. The program used to create augmented reality will determine the file types that are compatible.

On the one hand, the vast range of 3D asset types has made it possible for producers in many fields to use their pre-existing models for augmented reality. The discussion over the necessity of standardization in the AR sector and the development of substitute tools that are user-friendly and code-free, on the other hand, is fueled by the uncertainty it causes among developers.

What will happen with AR content creation next?

As augmented reality becomes popularity, more tools will start to appear that can be used to produce content, deal with the labour shortage, and actually provide value to the technology.

To assist brands optimize the AR content creation process, AR companies invest in developing platforms that don't require technical capabilities (thereby eliminating the skills gap in the workforce).

Consider Apple's most recent offering, Reality Kit 2. The long-awaited Object Capture capability, which enables developers to take images of actual items and use photogrammetry to produce 3D models, is included in this new framework.