Vuforia Engine
Vuforia Engine is a popular platform for developing Augmented Reality applications. It is easy to set up and offers developers a broad set of features to add realistic experiences to their projects. The tools are divided into categories of Objects, Platform Support, and Environment. The Objects module provides tracking capabilities for Images, Environments, and objects. You can merge digital content with flat images and identify images embedded onto objects having a cylindrical appearance. This module also provides high perception abilities to help you use previous 3D figures to recognize objects based on shape.
The Environment category offers Device Tracking functionality to update you on the area and movement of the device’s current location. To use the Device Tracker, you have to turn on Vuforia Fusion, which will find details on the platform being used by the application. Device Tracker has a sub-feature, namely “Positional Device tracker,” which provides information about the device’s location based on the environment.
Lastly, the Platform component contains data displaying the compatible devices and the tools functional with each device. Vuforia Engine supports Android, Lumin OS, iOS, and Windows Operating Systems.
Vuforia Engine Alternatives
#1 Apple ARKit
Apple ARKit provides multiple tools to help you create stunning Augmented Reality experiences for millions of users on iOS platforms. It has released a state-of-the-art module titled “Depth API” that offers a new technique to utilize the detailed depth information collected by LiDAR Scanner on iPhone and iPad devices. The LiDAR Scanner is programmed with superior understanding capabilities that enable Depth API to perform advanced features to enhance the user environment.
The next best feature is Location Anchors that allows you to create AR experiences in famous locations such as places of interest or landmarks. You can modify the coordinates of a particular area like its altitude, latitude, and longitude. The captured scenery can be viewed from multiple perspectives, which is very similar to using a camera lens to observe original objects.
Other features offered by Apple ARKit include Scene Geometry, Instant AR, and Motion Capture. With Scene geometry, you can make a topological map of an area and develop an understanding of the surroundings by using labels. Instant AR takes assistance from the LiDAR Scanner, which provides quick plane detection to help you position virtual objects in the natural world. Lastly, motion capture lets you record the movement of an individual without using a second camera.
#2 Wikitude AR SDK
Wikitude AR SDK helps you create breathtaking AR apps to capture the attention of your audience. It provides an Object & Scene tracking feature that enables you to improve the visual appeal of toys, buildings, and random objects. You can use Multiple Image targets to locate and augment multiple images at the same time. After the images are identified, you can track the augmented reality content embedded in each location, such as video, buttons, and 3D models.
The platform also offers a cloud recognition service that helps with huge augmented reality applications. It can function both online and offline, and you can input 1,000 images for recognition while in offline mode. Furthermore, if a project contains images exceeding the normal limit, the storage will be expanded through online cloud-based services.
Wikitude AR SDK offers a Geo AR solution that enables you to place virtual content on marked locations and areas. It gives access to tools that allow you to become proficient with the handling of geo-referenced data. Besides Geo Ar, it empowers AR apps with Cylinder Tracking functionality to find, follow, and augment cylinder targets.
#3 Argear.io
Argear.io aids developers with the creation of state-of-the-art Augmented Reality apps. Through its SDK, Argear is changing the way in which thousands of users interact with AR applications. You can use the built-in facial landmark Engine to utilize powerful features such as recognizing multiple faces simultaneously and accessing 3D Head Pose data. Besides Facial Landmark Engine, it provides a Facial Landmark Trigger that enables people to immerse themselves in the AR content. You can have place triggers on face parts such as head rolls, eyes, or mouth.
Argear.io has a rich collection of stickers in its ARGear content shop. You find 2D stickers and effects to use in your projects to enhance their visual appeal. The additional content utilizes several technologies like Background effects, 2D Sprite Animation, and 2D PNG Sequence. In addition to stickers and effects, the shop also provides a huge library of face masks that you can test in applications. Lastly, the platform offers Virtual Background to bring joy to video calls and work conferences.
#4 Augment
Augment helps hundreds of organizations achieve their sales targets by providing them with Augmented Reality and 3D solutions. The platform offers several products, with each possessing a different functionality than the other. You can use the AR Viewer to see your visual media in Augmented reality. It supports famous tools such as ARKit & ARCore and can be downloaded from the app store or integrated with a personal app. AR Viewer is programmed with offline functionality, allowing you to check products while in offline mode.
Besides AR Viewer, products can be watched and enlarged on web pages through the 3D Viewer, which can work on any browser and mobile apps. It takes a short while to install and allows you to rotate images or videos to get a view from separate angles. In addition to the rotation, you can also view the height, length, width of the products and emphasize special features by using animation.
The platform provides a 3D Vault for the saving and administration of 3D models. You can import 3D figures from any 3D software and safely place them in the Vault, after which they can be shared with project members and consumers. The models can be instantly brought in by dragging & dropping them on the screen and can be revealed/concealed from the public by modifying the privacy settings.
#5 FaceAR SDK
FaceAR SDK offers 2D/3D face stickers based on Augmented Reality that synchronize with your face using tracking and face recognition techniques. You can use multiple stickers such as cats and rabbit ears to capture comedic selfies. Besides stickers, the platform offers hilarious styles that you can control through facial expressions and use in live video chats, funny clips. The facial structure is accurately understood using advanced face recognition functionalities, identifying elements such as eyes, mouse, and nose. After a face has been detected, it will be converted into a 3D model, which unlocks additional features like face paintings and animal masks to wear on your face.
#6 DroidAR
DroidAR uses the device’s built-in functionalities such as GPS or compass to pinpoint its location. It is among the widely used framework for Android devices and has two main functions; AR based on location and AR-based on the marker. Using the marker feature, you can highlight popular destinations to enhance the experience of tourists. You can utilize the location feature to identify roads and shortcuts to improve the accuracy of navigation systems. There are several demo Videos showing DroidAR’s usage in multiple scenarios, and you can go through each of them to familiarize yourself with its functionalities.
#7 ARCore
ARCore also known as Google Play Service for AR, is a SDK that enables you to create augmented reality experiences. It is an intelligent platform that utilizes APIs to empower your smartphone with the technology to feel its surroundings, comprehend the globe and connect with data. It provides three main functionalities to merge virtual content with the organic world as perceived from your device’s camera.
The first is motion tracking enabling the phone to think and locate its position in the world. The second capability is Environmental understanding, helping the phone to measure the dimensions of all kinds of surfaces such as vertical, horizontal, and angled. The third and final power is Light estimation, which gives the phone the vision to understand an area’s present lighting conditions.
#8 MAXST
MAXST offers all the required features to help you create an Augmented Reality world. It provides an AR SDK featuring the necessary tools for the development of AR apps. One such module is the Instant Tracker that can comprehend the area pointed at by the camera, enabling you to put any object. Another component is Visual SLAM that gathers feature points of 3D space through your device’s camera lens and makes a virtual map, which is later stored as a file. Furthermore, map files made via the Visual SLAM feature can be imported to optimize the AR environment.
AR environment can be further enhanced using the superimpose effect, allowing you to stack 3D content atop the image of a plane in a graphical book or picture. Lastly, MAXST can read QR/Barcode and supports image recognizing services based on the cloud.
#9 VirtualRender
VirtualRender is a company that offers solutions related to virtual reality, augmented reality, and 3D modeling for real-estate and architecture-related projects. They offer 3D modeling of any building, home, and office that you can customize according to your need. A virtual room tour with high-quality video and simulation details is provided via a 3D VR headset. You can customize the architectural interior with a remote that is connected to the headset.
Providing real-time simulation in virtual reality makes it an immersive experience to watch things in detail. Either you are modeling a building, architecture layout, light setup, interior, or even conception of design, this is the perfect tool for you. With real-time manipulation, you can detect mistakes and errors and correct them right away during visualization.
#10 Adobe Dimension
Adobe Dimension (formerly Project Felix) is a 3D image design rendering software from Adobe. It used a V-Ray engine in the past but uses Adobe’s rendering engine now. Adobe Dimension has built-in presets, mockups, and product design structures available that save time and effort especially for beginners. Create high-quality 3D models and materials, add light, depth, and dimension to them. Adobe Dimension makes it easier for product designers to make 3D mockups, visualizations, packaging design, and other creative work.
Like other software, it also has real-time rendering with Ray-Tracing and photon mapping on Nvidia GPUs. Adobe Creative Cloud consists of thousands of templates and samples to work on. It eliminates the hassle of photographing the actual object, adds lights, and spends energy and money on expensive gear. With the seamless integration of other Adobe apps, you can import your project into Adobe XD and Adobe Aero for further Augmented reality processing. Adobe cloud also provides brushes, surface patterns, photos, videos, mockups, UI kits, and textures to use in Adobe Dimension. Due to advanced 3D and optimized processing, the recommended hardware requirements are high for a smooth workflow.
#11 AugRay
AugRay is an augmented reality-based app that enables a user to create a 3D model of any product by scanning it with a camera. You can use AugRay for educational purposes, but its functions are mostly made to enhance user experience with the end product or any product sample for reviews in the business. Advertising the product in augmented reality is the modern way of a brand campaign. As a brand, you can advertise your product with the users without having them buy it.
You can use it to review clothes, shoes, in the automotive industry, and for virtual room tours. One of the biggest features is the Geo-Location that allows users to explore the space with tags on the available subspaces inside it. You can demonstrate your project via this app if your product is too big or heavy to be shipped to the client, or you cannot travel to the actual site to experience the product.
#12 Sentio VR
Sentio VR is a Plugin to present 3D models in a virtual reality environment using headsets like Oculus VR, Google Cardboard, HTC Vive. It is a simple way to visualize your architectural model, perform 360 tours, sketching up 3D models, or even virtual reality meetings remotely. It is more like a plug-and-play tool that you can easily use with the native plugin. VR is one of the most superior technology to convey any kind of message.
You can convey your projects through Sentio VR Tool professionally and effectively. Sentio VR provides not only 3D models but also virtual tours to architecture, engineering, and construction departments. It can be used in education for training purposes, and Students can also present their projects in 360 virtual tours or panoramas. You can use this tool in a VR walkthrough device to act as the project assistant in real-time via Gyroscope and accelerometer sensors.
#13 IrisVR
IrisVR is augmented reality and virtual reality-based platform where users can interact in the virtual environment with VR hardware-supported tools like Oculus Rift headsets. Whether you are having a construction company, architectural, automotive industry, or even data analytic, this is the right tool for reviewing your product in AR. Showcase products to clients, present your projects in real-time with immerse integration and full controls to the modification of the environment. All this is done without the hassle of physical appearance.
One of the biggest advantages of Digital or remote work is that it saves your time and cost of travel, labor cost, material cost, and other outdoor expenditures. Low latency and ease of use stand this out from the other VR tools. IrisVR supports full integration of native apps like Revit, Rhino3D, Sketchup, i.e., It automatically converts projects from these platforms to IrisVR compatible metadata.
#14 ARCHICAD
ARCHICAD is an industry-leading BIM (Building Information Modeling) solution specially designed for urban planners, designers, interior designers, and architectures. It is also known as a powerful CAD tool tailored to handle the demands of modern architecture 2D/3D design and BIM functions right from the planning through project implementation to facilities management. It is a cloud-based system and works well on Windows, Mac, and Mobile devices. This powerful modeling platform provides a clean workspace where only widely used functions are displayed.
ARCHICAD also has lots of exciting tools and features that make it better than others. Its overall performance improvements focus on the smooth and highly responsive 2D zooming and planning experience for all the projects regardless of complexity. The great thing is that it allows you to leverage local expression to create new stuff and values based on the element’s parameters. It automates workflows, boosts the information, and licenses you to compute a rule as the property value of the consistent element and update it without the error-prone and time-consuming manual data entry. It is a commercial solution, and you can access it on Windows, Mac, and Mobile devices.
#15 3D Studio Max
3D Studio Max is an advanced level 3D modeling, animation, and comprehensive graphic design software solution that helps you developed games and design visualization. The software comes with a massive collection of media and entertainment software products offered by Autodesk. It is also an official part of Autodesk’s architecture engineering and construction collection and one of the tools in product design and manufacturing collection.
It is used by visual effects artists and experts in the TV and film industries and by game developers to create virtual reality games. 3D Studio Max is also very useful for building design, infrastructure, and construction and product development, and manufacturing planning that makes it better than others. With this solution’s help, game developers can create a massive game world, produce detailed characters, in-game objects, and customize whole environments by using this simple and easy to understand tools.
They will also be able to animate individual characters as well as make scenes that contain many people. 3D Studio Max offers a simple yet powerful editor where you can easily access all tools and features to produce your productivity.
One of the most interesting facts about this comprehensive tool is it offers a dialog tool known as a material editor that enables users to easily create and edit materials as well as maps in their scenes that make it more feature-rich. 3D Studio Max’s most prominent feature includes motion path, spline workflows, texture assignment and editing, simple simulation data import, customizable workspace, rendering in A360, and much more.