Augmented Reality Based Collaborative Product Enhancement
503
to VR [14]. Moreover, AR-based setting would permit the users to move around
in a real three-dimensional settings to imagine the products and interact with and
adapt these virtual products using virtual interfaces [2]. Therefore, there is a need to
develop a solution based on AR for collaborative product development activities and
also to integrate different stakeholders irrespective of their locations. The proposed
solution with the development of AR-based software tool for collaborative product
development is presented in the following sections.
3 AR-Based Software Tool for Product Development
In the proposed AR-based software for collaborative product development, the basic
idea of AR is to superimpose graphics, audio and other sense improvements over a
real-world environment in real-time. There are three components required to work
namely, smartphone/computer, tracking system (3D model and/or image target), and
AR-based software tool (can be viewed in Android devices by installing developed
.apk file). Unity3D software development framework [15] is used for the development
and generation of .apk for Android devices. The proposed AR-based solution works
on mobile devices (i.e. smartphone, tablet, laptop) with operating system as Android
and Windows OS and allows the end-user to customize and interrelate with the
product in his/her own environment. The following section explains the development
of the proposed AR-based software tool.
4 Development of AR-Based Software Tool
Flow chart of the development of the AR-based software tool for collaborative
product development is presented in Fig. 1. It starts with the initial configuration
in the Unity3D software development environment [15] and then integrating with
the Vuforia developer environment [16] which are then configured with the required
setting for the development. C# plugin is used for the programming to customize the
interactions required for the end-user and real environment. Vuforia developer portal
used in the development is shown in Fig. 2. The required object(s) (3D model of the
product/parts as base model) can be designed in Unity3D and can also be designed in
CAD modeling packages, i.e. AutoCAD, Cero, SolidWorks which are then imported
into Unity3D development environment. It is also possible to import the model from
the asset store or from any other design software or it can be imported from company
catalogue. Rendering the objects are done in Unity3D by adding textures and materials to the 3D models. 3D textures or 2D sprites can be added by creating a material
for the object. The required animations are added using the Animator tool in Unity3D.
The animations once added have to be added to the legacy animator to prevent bugs.
Virtual buttons are created using C# and Microsoft Visual Studio for end-user
intractability and for the selection from the available options against part/product (a
503
to VR [14]. Moreover, AR-based setting would permit the users to move around
in a real three-dimensional settings to imagine the products and interact with and
adapt these virtual products using virtual interfaces [2]. Therefore, there is a need to
develop a solution based on AR for collaborative product development activities and
also to integrate different stakeholders irrespective of their locations. The proposed
solution with the development of AR-based software tool for collaborative product
development is presented in the following sections.
3 AR-Based Software Tool for Product Development
In the proposed AR-based software for collaborative product development, the basic
idea of AR is to superimpose graphics, audio and other sense improvements over a
real-world environment in real-time. There are three components required to work
namely, smartphone/computer, tracking system (3D model and/or image target), and
AR-based software tool (can be viewed in Android devices by installing developed
.apk file). Unity3D software development framework [15] is used for the development
and generation of .apk for Android devices. The proposed AR-based solution works
on mobile devices (i.e. smartphone, tablet, laptop) with operating system as Android
and Windows OS and allows the end-user to customize and interrelate with the
product in his/her own environment. The following section explains the development
of the proposed AR-based software tool.
4 Development of AR-Based Software Tool
Flow chart of the development of the AR-based software tool for collaborative
product development is presented in Fig. 1. It starts with the initial configuration
in the Unity3D software development environment [15] and then integrating with
the Vuforia developer environment [16] which are then configured with the required
setting for the development. C# plugin is used for the programming to customize the
interactions required for the end-user and real environment. Vuforia developer portal
used in the development is shown in Fig. 2. The required object(s) (3D model of the
product/parts as base model) can be designed in Unity3D and can also be designed in
CAD modeling packages, i.e. AutoCAD, Cero, SolidWorks which are then imported
into Unity3D development environment. It is also possible to import the model from
the asset store or from any other design software or it can be imported from company
catalogue. Rendering the objects are done in Unity3D by adding textures and materials to the 3D models. 3D textures or 2D sprites can be added by creating a material
for the object. The required animations are added using the Animator tool in Unity3D.
The animations once added have to be added to the legacy animator to prevent bugs.
Virtual buttons are created using C# and Microsoft Visual Studio for end-user
intractability and for the selection from the available options against part/product (a