Several prominent science fiction films, such as Back to the Future and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘Terminator,’ have teased this technology. And, interestingly, the movies cited above are just a few of many that have perfectly captured AR technology throughout the years!

Today, we have augmented reality frameworks and SDKs that can be used to build software, devices or apps, and more, thanks to constant iterations, incubations, and development work.

As a result, it is safe to claim that AR technology has been commercialised to the point where enterprises, developers, entrepreneurs, and even large enterprise-level organisations such as Facebook may use it to generate new possibilities.

In this article I have listed 7 prominent Augmented reality frameworks and bespoke software development kits (SDKs).

Some minimal features to look for in a AR SDK

It is crucial to select the right AR SDK for developing your next AR app. Here is a list of such criteria that you need to consider before selecting the right platform.

# Supports multiple operating systems (mainly iOS and android)

# Competence for Unity, the most advanced graphics and development framework

# Support for Cloud recognition to enable markers without consuming large space on device

# Potential of 3D tracking and recognition for real-time triggers

# Thorough documentation for easier code explanation

# Support for Geo-location for location-based applications

# Smart-glasses support for hands-free experience

Below is a graphical presentation to give you an idea about the market share, pricing, user rating and overall review of some of the best AR SDK frameworks:

Now lets explore the top 7 tech stacks that support AR app development for your mobile devices.

1. ARCore
2. ZapWorks — Universal AR SDK
3. ARKit
4. Vuforia
5. ARToolKit
6. Augmented Reality SDK (Wikitude)
7. Augment

1) ARCore

Google’s ARCore platform is used to create augmented reality experiences. It helps sensing the environment, comprehending the world, and engaging with information by employing various APIs.

It primarily employs three important capabilities: motion tracking, environmental comprehension, and light estimation. It is capable of determining the border of each geometric plane and making the information available for use.

Its depth map capability enables immersive and realistic experiences such as precisely colliding virtual objects with identified surfaces. ARCore enables users to pick and interact with things in their environment through hit testing, which uses a (X,Y) coordinate corresponding to the phone screen. ARCore’s oriented points allow you to position virtual objects on slanted surfaces by clustering feature points.

2) ZapWorks — Universal AR SDK

Zappar’s Universal AR computer vision technology is accessible as an SDK for a variety of platforms and creative tools. It provides extensive support for both web and native mobile platforms, allowing you to use your preferred development environments and languages.

The Universal AR SDK’s face-tracking component uses computer vision to establish a knowledge of the user’s face by recognising key landmarks such as the eyes, lips, nose, and chin.

By associating 3D models and 2D images to themselves, these landmarks enable the creation of a coordinated experience. The world tracking feature causes the virtual content to remain fixed when the user moves. Its image-tracking technology makes printed things come to life.

3) ARKit

Apple created ARKit in order to provide iOS consumers with an unrivalled AR experience. It helps app developers to create AR experiences fast and efficiently by leveraging iOS devices’ cameras, CPUs, and motion sensors. It makes use of Visual Inertial Odometry technology to detect how the iOS device moves in an environment. This not only analyses the architecture of the environment but also recognises horizontal planes such as tables and floors.

The iOS device’s camera sensors enable the estimation of light in the environment to match the real-world scenario, encouraging the illusion of a virtual item in the actual world.

ARKit can create a face mesh to track the user’s face using a TrueDepth Camera. This feature is in charge of adding effects. This functionality is in charge of applying effects to users’ faces in real time.

The introduction of 4K video may enable the capture of high-resolution augmented reality experiences. The depth API features that make use of a LiDAR scanner enable the utilisation of per-pixel depth information about the surroundings.

4) Vuforia

Vuforia is another AR SDK that enables the development of augmented reality applications for mobile devices by utilising computer vision technologies. Its image restriction feature assists developers in positioning and orienting virtual things such as 3D models and other media in relation to real-world objects. It allows iPad users to scan and test area targets, test model targets, and record sessions for testing throughout development. Vuforia engine’s latest premium feature upgrade includes a barcode scanner API for reading barcodes and OR codes.

It accepts a wide range of 2D and 3D target types, as well as markerless picture targets, 3D model targets, and addressable Fiducial markers (VuMark). Localization occlusion detection, runtime image target selection, and the ability to construct and alter target sets programmatically at runtime are among the extra features of Vuforia.

5) ARToolKit

ARToolKit is an AR tracking framework used by Chinese AR firm Realmax Inc. to develop and position well-built AR objects. It is intended for both experienced software developers and non-developer users. It is a basic framework for developing real-time augmented reality apps that includes a multiplatform library. It has real-time planar detection and rapid and low-cost 6D marker tracking technology.

It also features a basic graphics library based on GLUT and an easy calibration method. It advertises itself as a viable alternative for tangible interaction metaphors. ARToolKit is now available as a Unity Game Engine plugin.

6) Wikitude

Wikitude SDK is a cross-platform AR toolkit that works with a wide variety of devices and operating systems. It has entirely in-house-built augmented reality technology that empowers hundreds of apps, brands, agencies, and AR geek developers. It can also be utilised as an extension service for ARKit and ARCore because it provides quick and reliable picture and object tracking as a separate Unity library. The Wikitude SDK expert version includes single and multiple usages for high-end image tracking, cylinder tracking, object tracking, support for Unity's AR foundation, object visualisation in the Unity editor, and multiple tracking for image-object-position.

7) Augment

Businesses can use the Augment platform to quickly develop mobile augmented reality products. Field Sales features encourage customers to see things in real life and seal sales more quickly. Simply uploading and managing the 3D models online is all that the design and development team needs to do. New models might appear on the private augmented count of team members automatically. Augment offers the most comprehensive eCommerce 3D product catalog for retailers and brands. Augment as an AR SDK for mobile app development can boost online sales conversion to new heights.

The augmented reality industry is predicted to reach $88.4 billion by 2026, making now an excellent moment to design and launch your augmented reality product based on the above-mentioned revolutionary frameworks.

One such development focused company, Ace Infoway with it’s extensive experience in having developed custom mobile applications provides you with the skills and expertise to work on any challenging mobile application development project.