Introducing: Wikitude SDK 5

Phil

Update (August 2017): Object recognition, multi-target tracking and SLAM: Track the world with SDK 7

We would like to share the details of our version 5 of the cross-platform Wikitude SDK with you.
We have been working on this release for some time now and consider this our most ambitious release since launching the first version of the Wikitude SDK more than three years ago.

Continue to read the details and you will easily understand why.

For our developers the Wikitude SDK 5 brings increased flexibility when it comes to choosing your development environment.

Beside the existing options to work with Wikitude’s JavaScript API and the well-established extensions for Cordova, Titanium and Xamarin, developers are now able to embed augmented reality features using the new Wikitude Native API for Android and iOS. The Native API will give access to all computer-vision related features like 2D Markerless Image Recognition and Tracking, 2D Cloud Markerless Image Recognition and Tracking.

Speaking of 2D image tracking, the new SDK extends – literally – its functionality here as well. Extended Image Tracking, available in both Native and JavaScript API, is a new tracking mode that will keep the image tracking on although the original target image can not be seen by the camera image anymore.

The Native API is also the base for the new Unity3D plugin for the Wikitude SDK. With the Unity3D plugin developers are able to add 2D target images to their Unity3D based application.

Starting with this SDK release, developers are be able to create and use custom plugins for the Wikitude SDK. Plugins under this framework can receive a shared camera frame plus additional information about recognized images – like the pose and distance. Plugins can either be written in C++, Java or ObjC and can communicate with your augmented reality experience.

Furthermore the Wikitude SDK 5 brings full compatibility with Android Studio (intermediate set-up guide is already available).

WikitudeSDK_architecture_v5

Extended Image Tracking

150527_WT_SDK5_Icon_ExtendedTracking The Extended Image Tracking option is an advanced tracking mode for 2D markerless tracking, that will continue to track your target image, although it can’t be seen by the camera anymore. Users will scan your target image as of now, but will be able to leave the target and continue to move around, still keeping the tracking of the entire 3D scene.
Extended Tracking is the first release of Wikitude’s new 3D Tracking engine and is supplementing Wikitude’s 2D image tracking capabilities. The new mode is fantastic for larger 3D model sceneries, or smaller image targets on larger surfaces, where the user can move around more freely.

Native API for Wikitude SDK

150527_WT_SDK5_Icon_iOS-Android For all developers, who want to use the Wikitude SDK at its core, Wikitude is branching off its computer vision core technology. The Native API contains the full computer vision engine of the Wikitude SDK, but can be integrated using native programming languages for Android and iOS (Java, ObjC).

 

The Native API features:

  • Plugin Framework
  • 2D Image Recognition and Tracking (Offline)
  • 2D Cloud Recognition and Tracking (Online)
  • 2D Extended Image Tracking

Unity3D Plugin for Wikitude SDK

150527_WT_SDK5_Icon_Unity3D
Based on the new Native API, Wikitude offers a plugin for Unity3D so you can integrate Wikitude’s computer vision engine into a game or application fully based on Unity3D. This means you can work with target images and image recognition in your Unity3D app and benefit from the full feature set of the Unity3D development environment. Adding the power of Wikitude’s SDK with the advanced capabilities of Unity3D makes this combo an unbeatable duo.

Plugin Framework

150527_WT_SDK5_Icon_Plugin
The new Plugin Framework allows to extend the Wikitude SDK by 3rd party functionality. Plugins for the Wikitude SDK have access to the camera frames and information about recognized images (pose, distance). This is perfect for additional functionality that also requires camera images. Plugins are written in C++, Java or ObjC and can communicate both with the JavaScript API and the Native API.

The SDK includes two samples for plugins:

  • Barcode and QR Scanner
  • Face Detection

Full Android Studio compatibility

150527_WT_SDK5_Icon_AndroidStudio Android Studio is becoming more and more the preferred IDE for developing Android apps.
While the Wikitude SDK version 4.1 can run in Android Studio Wikitude SDK 5.0 now has been optimized to work nicely with Android Studio.

  • Updated library format .aar
  • Sample App for Android Studio

Availability

Update (August 2017): The SDK 7.0 official release is now available for download. Customers with a valid Wikitude subscription license will receive future updates for free upon release.

Oh, there is one more thing…3D Tracking!

Wikitude will publicly release SLAM based 3D tracking capabilities soon! Please check wikitude.com/SLAM for details. Here is a quick video demo to give you a glimpse of what’s coming.

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