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 breaks down 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 localization capabilities
    • Mega Service: Core component of EasyAR Mega.
    • SpatialMap Service: Cloud-supported service for sparse spatial maps in EasyAR Sense.
    • Cloud Recognition Service: Core component of EasyAR CRS.
  • SDK provides rich local features and leverages cloud services for enhanced capabilities
    • Sense: Core SDK of EasyAR Sense.
    • Sense Unity Plugin: Unity plugin for EasyAR Sense.
    • Mega WeChat MiniProgram Plugin: WeChat MiniProgram plugin for EasyAR Mega.
  • Workflow tools provide visual management and testing utilities
    • Mega Toolbox: Visual capture and testing tool for EasyAR Mega.
    • Mega Studio: Visual editing and management tool for EasyAR Mega.

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

For example:

  • When developing a Tutu Le application, use Sense Unity Plugin in Unity to create cross-platform apps that track images and render 3D models.
  • When developing Live Photos applications, use Sense to build native Android/iOS apps that recognize photos and play videos; or use Cloud Recognition Service to provide cloud recognition for massive photo libraries, directly calling its APIs in WeChat MiniPrograms.
  • When developing AR navigation applications, use Mega Service for large-scale localization; leverage Sense Unity Plugin in Unity to integrate EasyAR Mega interfaces and EasyAR Sense motion tracking for AR navigation; utilize Mega Studio to load real-world models and assist navigation path placement; employ Mega Toolbox for rapid validation of localization effects.

EasyAR Mega provides these AR capabilities for building applications across platforms like mobile apps and WeChat MiniPrograms:

  • Mega fixed spaces: Suitable for large-scale scenarios like AR navigation, cultural tourism guides, landmark shows, and spatial games.
  • Mega complex objects: Ideal for complex objects like cultural artifact explanations, factory training, AR figurine effects, and auto show marketing.

EasyAR CRS provides these AR capabilities for platforms including mobile apps, WeChat MiniPrograms, and web applications:

  • Image cloud recognition: Designed for large-scale image recognition scenarios like AR picture books, cultural products, TCG cards, and Live Photos.

EasyAR Sense provides these AR capabilities for platforms including mobile devices, XR headsets, and PCs:

  • Motion tracking: Suitable for scenarios like AR spatial drawing and remote collaboration.
  • Plane detection: Ideal for AR product displays and virtual decoration.
  • Sparse spatial map (room-scale anchors): Designed for small-space interactions and games.
  • Dense spatial map (meshing): Suitable for environment-interactive games.
  • Surface tracking (scale-invariant anchoring): Ideal for AR spatial effects.
  • Image tracking: Designed for scenarios like AR cards, Tutu Le, and brand marketing.
  • Object tracking: Suitable for objects like AR globes.

Additionally, EasyAR Sense can integrate and utilize the following cloud or advanced capabilities:

  • Mega fixed spaces
  • 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.↩↩