What should we know when designing 3D interactive experiences for Augmented Reality?
In this article, I will go over the basics on creating an interactive AR experience with your own 3D models. My research to find web-based AR programs focused on accessibility and ease of use, specifically for someone who has never created an AR experience before. It shows the methodology when going through these multiple programs and uncovering what they can do in terms of importing models, applying interactivity elements, and user interaction. Included are also are in depth program analyses, guides on exporting 3D files and importing them into AR, and tutorials on how to create simple interactive experiences in two programs. Augmented reality holds a lot of potential that can advance our creative practices, and this article is just scratching the surface.
Augmented reality (AR) is technology that overlays digital assets into the real world, mainly with a mobile device. This is different than virtual reality (VR) because VR replaces the real world entirely, immersing the user in an environment completely detached from our own with a headset. Some of the most notable uses of AR are for mobile games such as Pokémon Go, face filters used on Snapchat and Instagram, testing paint colors on walls, and workplace training exercises.
Creating an AR experience may seem complicated or inaccessible, but I’m here to tell you that it isn’t. The purpose of this research is to show that AR is an approachable tool that students and faculty alike can use in their practice. Specifically, it will deal with the process of integrating your own 3D models and adding elements of interactivity to them to enhance the users AR experience.
This can be a unique skill that MIAD students can utilize to elevate their projects. I am a product design major, so I have been thinking about this as a tool for designers to bring developing products to life to receive valuable feedback, just to give one example. But AR can be beneficial to all MIAD majors and career paths, as this research is just a taste of how AR can be integrated into our creative fields.
To start my research, I looked into the current available web-based AR programs. For every option, I determined their worthiness by these criteria:
After picking my top options, I moved on to decide what 3D model I would create to test in these AR programs. Since I am a product design major, I was making my decision from the perspective of a designer wanting to give a potential user an experience with a product for feedback or giving a consumer the chance to see a product in their space before purchasing. But I would not let this give limitations to how I would create a best practices for learning interactive AR. I thought a stationary object would be a good starting point for anyone to give simple interactivity to.
A couple of options I was considering were lamps, chairs, kitchen appliances, and display stands. I ultimately decided on a TV stand/cabinet. I thought that a piece of furniture this big would be something a user would want to see in their space before purchasing.