Vuforia Engine offers tracking a variety of objects and spaces that can be categorized as Images, Objects, and Environments. Use this overview to quickly get started with the solution and Vuforia features best fitting your needs.
Images
Image Targets
Attach content onto flat images, such as print media and product packaging
- Instant Image Targets – Create Image Targets at runtime or from a database.
- Best Practices – Learn to make ideal image compositions for Image Targets.
- Device Database – Learn how to create the Device Databases in the Target Manager
Multi Targets
Use more than one Image Target and arrange them into regular geometric shapes (e.g. boxes) or in any arbitrary arrangement of planar surfaces with Multi Targets.
- Best Practices – Learn to prepare the images to properly be uploaded in the Target Manager.
Cylinder Targets
Recognize images wrapped onto objects that are cylindrical or close to in shape (e.g. beverage bottles, coffee cups, soda cans).
- Best Practices – Learn to prepare the images to properly be uploaded in the Target Manager.
- Calculate the cylinder’s shape – Learn how to adjust the image size so it is easily wrapped.
Cloud Recognition Service
Recognize a large set of images and frequently update the database with new images.
- Cloud VS Device Databases – Learn the differences between the two database types and select the solution best fitting your needs.
- Vuforia Web Services – With the VWS API you can manage these large image databases in the cloud efficiently and you can automate your workflows in your own Content Management System.
- VuMark API generation – Learn more on using VuMark with Cloud Recognition.
VuMarks
These are customized markers that can encode a range of data formats. They support both unique identification and tracking for AR applications.
- Design Guide – Learn the essentials on all the design considerations to make a VuMark.
- Make VuMarks in Adobe Illustrator – Follow our guide on making a VuMark, from start to finish.
- VuMark Unity Guide – Follow this guide to get started with the VuMarks in Unity.
Barcode Scanner
Detect a large variety of barcodes from your AR experience application
- Best Practices – Familiarize yourself with the conditions for detecting and reading barcodes.
- Barcode Unity Guide – Follow this guide to easily set up Barcode Reader.
Objects
Model Targets
Allow you to recognize objects by shape using pre-existing 3D models. Place AR content on a wide variety of items like industrial equipment, vehicles, toys, and home appliances. See the Comparison of Object Tracking Methods for help selecting the right tracking technology for your product.
- Create Model Targets - Use the Model Target Generator to quickly create a Model Target.
- Vuforia Creator App – Use the Creator app to test your Model Targets.
- Model Targets in Unity – Get introduced to Model Targets in Unity and add your augmentations to the object.
- Best Practices for CAD Models – Adjust your digital model to these principles and practices.
Environments
Area Targets
Augment real environments that you scan using the Vuforia Creator App or a commercially available 3D scanner. Create accurately aligned persistent content into a wide variety of commercial, public, and fun places to enrich spaces with augmented experiences.
- Scanning an Environment – Learn the best practices on scanning an environment with each supported device.
- Vuforia Creator App – Use the Creator app to capture, generate, and test your Area Targets.
- Area Target Generator – Get this tool if you have a scan from one of the supported professional scanners.
- Create Area Target – Follow this guide to make your first Area Target from a professional-equipment-made scan.
- Area Targets Test App – Test your Area Targets on your device by following this guide
- Area Targets in Unity – Proceed to customize and add augmentations in the space with this guide.
Ground Plane
Enables you to place content on horizontal surfaces in the environment like tables and floors.
- Ground Plane in Unity – Follow this guide to get introduced to setting up Ground Plane in Unity.
Other Vuforia Engine Features
Vuforia Fusion
Designed to provide the best possible AR experience on a wide range of devices. Fusion senses the capabilities of the underlying device (such as ARKit/ARCore) and fuses them with Vuforia Engine's features, allowing developers to rely on a single Vuforia API for an optimal AR experience.
- AR Foundation – Vuforia Engine can also be used alongside the AR Foundation Platform.
- ARCore – See this page for setting up ARCore with Vuforia Engine in Unity.
Device Tracking
Vuforia Engine offers robust and accurate tracking by using the Device Pose Observer that includes tracking a Vuforia target even when the object or content is no longer in the camera view. Note that some Vuforia features are required to run on a Device Pose supported device.
- Enable Device Tracking in Unity – Learn more on enabling this capability.
- Pose Status and Status Info – The Device Pose Observer returns tracking states that you can use to optimize the user experience and tracking use cases.
- Continued AR Experiences – Learn more on using the states to resume from interrupted and paused AR sessions.
Recording and Playback
Record and replay your AR session to test, experience, and improve your AR development workflow with the Session Recorder. Use the API or the ready-made SessionRecorder GameObject in Unity to record your Vuforia targets and continue to develop even when those targets or spaces are unavailable.
- Session Recorder API – Learn more about the API and recorder module.
- Vuforia Creator App – Use the Creator app to record sessions for your development.
Driver Framework
Allows developers to provide and consume data from external systems through Vuforia Engine. Developers can also use the Driver Framework to record sessions and create custom drivers for their custom devices.
- Custom Driver – Learn here to create your own Custom Driver.
- Vuforia Support for Custom Devices using Vuforia Driver – See this article for more information on using Vuforia Driver on custom devices.
External Camera
Access video data from a camera outside of the one in a phone or tablet when creating AR experiences. The external camera is used in extension of the Driver Framework.
- Camera Calibration – Learn more on setting up an external camera and adding it to the Vuforia Engine input.