Table of Contents

EasyAR development introduction

EasyAR makes AR development simple and efficient. Using EasyAR, you can easily integrate augmented reality functionality into applications across various platforms.

EasyAR product overview

EasyAR offers three major products for AR development: EasyAR Mega, EasyAR CRS (Cloud Recognition Service), and EasyAR Sense.

  • EasyAR Mega is a large-scale spatial recognition and localization service, providing AR capabilities for extensive scenes and complex objects.
  • EasyAR CRS is a high-performance cloud-based image recognition service, offering traditional image recognition AR capabilities.
  • EasyAR Sense is an augmented reality SDK, providing cross-platform AR integration capabilities.

The following diagram provides a breakdown from the product structure:

block
  columns 1
  block:groupTitle
    Title["EasyAR Product Structure Diagram"]
  end
  block:groupTool
    Tool["Workflow Tools"]
    MegaToolbox["Mega Toolbox"]
    MegaStudio["Mega Studio"]
    space
  end
  block:groupSDK
    SDK["SDK"]
    Sense["Sense"]
    SenseUnity["Sense<br>Unity Plugin"]
    MegaWeChat["Mega<br>WeChat MiniProgram Plugin"]
  end
  block:groupService
    Service["Cloud Services"]
    Mega["Mega<br>Service"]
    SpatialMap["SpatialMap<br>Service"]
    CRS["Cloud Recognition<br>Service"]
  end
  
  style groupTitle fill:none,stroke:none,stroke-width:0px
  style Title fill:none,stroke:none,stroke-width:0px
  style Tool fill:none,stroke:none,stroke-width:0px
  style SDK fill:none,stroke:none,stroke-width:0px
  style Service fill:none,stroke:none,stroke-width:0px
  • Cloud Services provide large-scale recognition and positioning capabilities.
    • Mega Service: The core component of EasyAR Mega.
    • SpatialMap Service: A service that provides cloud support for the sparse spatial map of EasyAR Sense.
    • Cloud Recognition Service: The core component of EasyAR CRS.
  • SDK provides a wealth of local features and leverages Cloud Services to offer more powerful capabilities.
    • Sense: The core SDK of EasyAR Sense.
    • Sense Unity Plugin: The Unity plugin for EasyAR Sense.
    • Mega WeChat MiniProgram Plugin: The WeChat MiniProgram plugin for EasyAR Mega.
  • Workflow Tools provide visual management and testing tools.
    • Mega Toolbox: The visual collection and testing tool for EasyAR Mega.
    • Mega Studio: The visual editing and management tool for EasyAR Mega.

When developing AR applications, one or more product modules may be used simultaneously to meet the functional requirements of different scenarios.

For example:

  • When developing a coloring book AR application, you can use Sense Unity Plugin to develop cross - platform applications in Unity, track images, and render 3D models.
  • When developing a Live photo AR application, you can use Sense to develop native Android and iOS applications to recognize and track photos and play videos; or use Cloud Recognition Service to provide cloud recognition services for a large number of photos and directly call the service interface in the WeChat MiniProgram to implement the photo recognition function.
  • When developing an AR navigation application, you can use Mega Service to achieve large - scale scene positioning; use Sense Unity Plugin to call the EasyAR Mega interface and the motion tracking function of EasyAR Sense in Unity to achieve AR navigation capabilities; use Mega Toolbox to quickly verify the positioning and tracking effects.

EasyAR Mega provides these AR capabilities, which can be used to build AR applications on various platforms such as mobile apps and WeChat MiniPrograms:

  • Mega Fixed Space: Suitable for large - scale space scenarios such as AR navigation, cultural and tourism guidance, landmark shows, and large - space games.
  • Mega Complex Objects: Suitable for complex objects such as AR cultural relic explanations, factory training, AR figurine special effects, and auto show marketing.

EasyAR CRS provides these AR capabilities, which can be used to build AR applications on various platforms such as mobile apps, WeChat MiniPrograms, and web applications:

  • Image Cloud Recognition: Suitable for large - scale image recognition scenarios such as AR picture books, cultural and creative products, TCG cards, and Live photos.

EasyAR Sense provides these AR capabilities, which can be used to build AR applications on various platforms such as mobile phones, XR headsets, and PCs:

  • Motion Tracking: Suitable for scenarios such as AR spatial painting and remote collaboration.
  • Plane Detection: Suitable for scenarios such as AR product display and virtual decoration.
  • Sparse Spatial Map (Room - level Anchors): Suitable for small - space interaction and games.
  • Dense Spatial Map (Meshed): Suitable for environmental interaction games.
  • Surface Tracking (Scale - free Anchoring): Suitable for AR spatial special effects.
  • Image Tracking: Suitable for scenarios such as AR cards, coloring books, and brand marketing.
  • Object Tracking: Suitable for scenarios such as AR globes.

In addition, EasyAR Sense can integrate and use the following cloud or advanced capabilities:

  • Mega Fixed Space
  • Mega Complex Objects
  • Image Cloud Recognition

Developing AR applications for different platforms

Using EasyAR, you can develop AR applications for various platforms.

Developing AR applications with Unity is a recommended approach. Unity enables efficient development of cross-platform 3D content and interactions.

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AR applications developed with Unity can utilize the following features:

  • All features of EasyAR Mega
  • All features of EasyAR CRS
  • All features of EasyAR Sense

AR applications developed with Unity can be deployed to the following devices and platforms:

  • Android phones and tablets
  • iOS phones and tablets
  • Various XR headsets
  • Windows computers
  • macOS computers

WeChat Mini Programs

On the WeChat Mini Programs platform, you can develop WeChat AR applications using the Mega WeChat MiniProgram Plugin or Cloud Recognition Service interfaces. For 3D rendering and interaction development, you can use XR-Frame. Alternatively, other Web 3D engines like PlayCanvas or Three.js can be used, but require complex additional adaptation work.

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AR applications on the WeChat Mini Programs platform can utilize the following features:

  • All features of EasyAR Mega (only supports XR-Frame)
  • All features of EasyAR CRS
  • Motion tracking1
  • Plane detection1
  • Image tracking1 (cannot be used simultaneously with EasyAR Mega)
  • Object tracking1 (cannot be used simultaneously with EasyAR Mega)

On the WeChat platform, we also provide mature solutions for AR navigation and AR cultural tourism. For inquiries, please contact EasyAR Business.

Native applications

Developing AR applications directly using native interfaces is possible but not recommended. The main reason is that implementing 3D content and interactions required for AR without a 3D engine is complex and inefficient for content creation. This approach is generally only advisable for simple content like drawing geometric shapes or playing videos.

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AR applications developed with native interfaces can utilize the following features:

  • All features of EasyAR Mega
  • All features of EasyAR CRS
  • All features of EasyAR Sense

AR applications developed with native interfaces can be deployed to the following devices and platforms:

  • Android phones and tablets
  • iOS phones and tablets
  • Various XR headsets2
  • Windows computers
  • macOS computers

Building your own AR platform

If you have developed a 3D engine or wish to use EasyAR in a 3D engine not yet supported by EasyAR, you can integrate EasyAR functionality into your 3D engine using the native SDK of EasyAR Sense. This process generally requires strong C/C++ development experience and a thorough understanding of the 3D engine's implementation. Typically, we recommend this approach for enterprises that prefer not to introduce Unity into their applications.

AR platforms or applications built this way can utilize the following features:

  • All features of EasyAR Mega
  • All features of EasyAR CRS
  • All features of EasyAR Sense

AR platforms or applications built this way can be deployed to the following devices and platforms:

  • Android phones and tablets
  • iOS phones and tablets
  • Various XR headsets2
  • Windows computers
  • macOS computers

Unreal

EasyAR's Unreal support is currently experimental. For requirements, please contact EasyAR Business to discuss custom development.

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Meanwhile, if you or your team have strong C/C++ development experience, particularly with Unreal engine rendering pipelines and plugin development, you can consider using the native SDK of EasyAR Sense to integrate EasyAR functionality into the Unreal engine.

Get started here

  1. Powered by WeChat VisionKit.↩↩↩↩

  2. Supporting headsets in native applications typically requires device manufacturers to provide specialized SDK support. Except for Apple Vision Pro, most device manufacturers do not publicly expose the interfaces and data required to integrate with EasyAR in their native SDKs.↩↩