Qualcomm Releases Augmented Reality SDK for iOS

Wednesday July 27, 2011 2:37 pm PDT by Arnold Kim

lab
TechCrunch noted that Qualcomm had recently released their Augmented Reality Software Development Kit (SDK) for iOS. The SDK had originally been available for Android but Qualcomm had promised its release in July for iOS. The SDK should make it easier for developers to integrate virtual content with real content such as images captured by cameras found on many portable devices.

Augmented reality applications are nothing new for iOS, with Apple having introduced support for the technology in iPhone OS 3.1 nearly two years ago and a number of applications such as Layar Reality Browser and Word Lens having embraced it, but Qualcomm's tools will make for easier cross-platform adoption that could increase developer interest.

Qualcomm had held an Augmented Reality Application Developer Challenge last year to promote the use of their SDK. The video above shows the winners from that contest. The first version of the iOS SDK is said to support iPhone 4, iPad 2, and 4th Generation iPod Touch.

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Top Rated Comments

cyks

199 months ago

I hate to say it, but there could be a huge market in porn using this technology...

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

mjtomlin

199 months ago

And in 30 years, I'll be able to wear my augmented glasses, look at a person, and get all of their information. It's begun people, it's begun!!

We call those beer goggles now.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

GSPice

199 months ago

It's cool, but why do we need the mat? I mean, couldn't these apps conceivably be done only using the SDK now provided, using only the phone as hardware? What does the map provide to the game that can't be done without it?

Point of reference.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

srxtr

199 months ago

Wow, the 1st place winners looked pretty crazy

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

bretm

199 months ago

I kind of understand what you're saying. I kind of don't. Could someone please explain this?

The matt provides an image to track that the app has exact knowledge of. A surface Of a particular size and shape it can map the game to. That's the augmented part. Without the matt, what would it lock onto to put the image? Your desk? Perhaps, but it wouldn't know what is desk, what is paper, and what is a book. Yes, it could just use the gyro and accelerometer and map it to thin air, but the objects would just be floating there, a set distance away.

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)