Developer(s) Wikitude GmbH Operating system | Development status Active Platform Android, iOS | |
Initial release October 20, 2008; 8 years ago (2008-10-20) Stable release 4.1 / March 9, 2015; 2 years ago (2015-03-09) | ||
Wikitude is a mobile augmented reality (AR) technology provider based in Salzburg, Austria. Founded in 2008, Wikitude initially focused on providing location-based augmented reality experiences through the Wikitude World Browser App. In 2012, the company restructured its proposition by launching the Wikitude SDK, a development framework utilizing image recognition and tracking, and geolocation technologies.
Contents
The Wikitude SDK is Wikitude's core product. First launched in October 2008, the SDK includes image recognition & tracking, 3D model rendering, video overlay and location based AR. The Wikitude SDK is available for Android and iOS operating systems, and is optimized for several smart eyewear devices.
The Wikitude app was the first publicly available application that used a location-based approach to augmented reality.
How it works
For location-based augmented reality, the position of objects on the screen of the mobile device is calculated using the user's position (by GPS or Wifi), the direction in which the user is facing (by using the compass) and accelerometer.
Since August 2012, Wikitude also features image recognition technologies that allow for tracker images to trigger augmented reality technology within the app.
User generated content
Content in the Wikitude World Browser is mostly user generated. Content can be added by a web interface, by KML, and ARML. In addition, Web services are available to register the delivery of dynamic data. Wikitude is a W3C member and OGC member and is working to develop ARML further as part of a W3C ARML project.
Discussion
Opinions differ as to whether the location-based approach of augmented reality implemented by Wikitude can be considered as augmented reality. There is also concern for the accuracy of the GPS, compass and motion sensors used to calculate the position of the virtual objects. Inaccuracies could accumulate to the point that they prevent delivering a feasible result. In practice, this technique proves to be much simpler to implement than ones using the marker-based approach. In a current listing of the Top 5 AR Apps from The Telegraph, three mobile applications use the location-based approach (Google Goggles used both approaches).