Added new features such as Model Target, Ground Plane, and Fusion

PTC announced the release of the latest version of its AR development platform, Vuforia. The newly unveiled Vuforia 7 includes features that allow digital content to be applied to a wider variety of objects and environments, and supports the implementation of AR experiences on various portable devices.

Vuforia is the world's most widely used AR development platform, with approximately 475 million AR applications installed on smartphones, tablets, and wearable smart glasses developed based on Vuforia. In particular, in Korea, CircusAR has successfully expanded its business by implementing augmented reality apps and platforms through in-house R&D based on PTC Vuforia, applying them to various industrial sectors. In addition, innovative companies in various fields are utilizing the PTC Vuforia platform for their diverse content businesses.

The Vuforia Engine, which is the core of the platform, powers the device's cameras and sensors to function as a 'digital eye' within applications. Through this eye, Vuforia views the objects and various surfaces where the developer's AR app content will be applied, and supports the addition of AR experiences to existing development tools.

New features added to Vuforia include Model Target, which implements content on objects that could not be recognized by existing technology; Ground Plane, which applies content to a horizontal plane; and Fusion, which enables designing for a wide range of devices.

Tony Parisi, General Manager of Unity AR/VR, said, “Augmented reality is a magical technology that overlays stories onto the real world everywhere—on a table, in a child’s playroom, or in the woods. I look forward to Unity developers creating innovative AR experiences through Vuforia, and I believe this process will play a crucial role in expanding the boundaries of AR.”

Vuforia 7 is scheduled to be available through ARKit support in future Unity releases. The Vuforia Ground Plane feature will be available as a free distribution option for Unity, and the Vuforia Engine SDK will support Xcode, Android Studio, and Microsoft Visual Studio within the year, while ARCore support is scheduled for early next year.

Along with this, PTC also unveiled 'Vuforia Chalk,' a new augmented reality-based communication application, through collaboration with Apple. Vuforia Chalk, developed through the fusion of the Vuforia AR platform and Apple ARKit technology, was released alongside iOS 11. This application allows users in different locations to share a live view of the same environment and exchange simple annotations called 'Chalk Marks'.

The Vuforia Chalk app can be downloaded for free from the App Store and used on iPhone 6 and later versions, as well as iPad Pro and iPad 5th generation products released after 2015, and will be supported on other devices that support the Vuforia AR platform in the future.