Vuforia Creator App

The Vuforia Creator App is your developer companion app for capturing data and testing Vuforia targets. Download the powerful tool and collect data for development and test your targets when getting started to build your AR applications.

Install the App

Go to Apple’s App Store and download the app on your device. Your Vuforia Credentials are needed for some of the app's functions, but most don’t require login credentials.

Device Compatibility

The app is currently available for iPads or iPhones only. To scan spaces, you need a LiDAR-equipped iPad Pro or iPhone Pro. See Supported Versions for more details.

Features

The Vuforia Creator App includes:

  • Capturing spaces and generating Area Targets out of the captured data.
  • Test-drive your Model Targets and Area Targets by detecting and tracking them.
  • Record Sessions for playback during app development and testing.

Vuforia Creator App

My Assets

When you open the app, the home screen lists all your assets in the All tab. Each asset is marked with an icon to indicate its type. The navigation bar lets you sort for AllArea TargetsModel TargetsSpaces, and Session Recordings.

  • Long-pressing an asset will bring up a menu to share, rename, or delete the asset.
  • Pressing once on a Model Target or Area Target will load it for testing.
  • Press the + icon on the lower right to import assets, capture area, or record sessions.

Account

Access relevant app information in the Account window and log in with your Vuforia Developer account. Logging in is only necessary to generate Area Targets from captured spaces.

Import and Test Assets

Import Model Targets and Area Targets to test them with the Vuforia Creator App.

  1. Press the + icon and select Import.
  2. The app has a parent folder, Vuforia Creator. Place your databases in this root folder, select the DAT or ZIP files to import, and add them to your Assets. You can also conveniently import ZIP archives from your “Downloads” or “iCloud” folders.
    1. For Model Targets, upload the DAT dataset file or a ZIP with the file.
    2. For Area Targets, import the DAT dataset file and 3dt into a folder. The app can also read a ZIP package that contains the files.

      NOTE: When the Creator App imports from a ZIP, it will automatically create a folder where the database is extracted using the database name.

      NOTE: You need to use the mytarget_occlusion.3dt file here – which is a much smaller representation used for occlusion rendering only, not the mytarget_authoring.3dt.

  3. After importing your database, the target will be added to the Assets overview where you can load and test them.

Area Targets

Capture, generate, and test Area Targets in the Vuforia Creator App.

Capture Area

The device must have a LiDAR sensor to scan a space. If the app doesn’t have the option to scan a space, it is because a LiDAR sensor wasn’t detected. You must also be logged in to generate Area Targets from captured areas.

Workflow

  1. To start a capture, press the + icon and select Capture Area. The camera will open, and you can begin to capture your environment.
  2. Move the device slowly around and scan your space.
  3. When done, press Stop and choose Save Space, Resume Scanning, or Delete Space.
  4. You can save the captured area as a 3DT file or generate an Area Target.
    • Saving as a 3DT file lets you transfer and import it for editing and generation using the desktop Area Target Generator. This can be helpful in situations where no Internet connectivity is available in the environment to be captured.
      NOTE: To test the Area Target, select Save as Area Target.
  5. Proceed to provide a name for your Space or Area Target.
  6. To generate your scan as an Area Target, you must log in if you haven’t done it already and press Continue.
  7. After completion, the Area Target or Space 3DT file will appear in your assets. Use the filter option at the top of the Asset Browser to find the assets.

The steps for testing Area Targets that were just generated or imported are identical to those for testing Model Targets. Refer to the next section for instructions on starting testing, using visualization options, and creating Session Recordings during testing.

NOTE: The Area Target Test App User Guide provides instructions on testing Area Targets on Android devices or the HoloLens.

Capture aligned area

Align the capture of new Area Targets to a previously created Area Target’s origin. Use this feature to update and exchange an existing Area Target if objects in the space have changed or if you are working with multiple Area Targets. The Area Target you align with must be tracked well, and you must rescan the space with a minimum 25% overlap of the existing space. The space must also have enough details to be recognized.

See aligning Area Targets for details on the Area Target Capture API.

  1. Long-press an Area Target in the Asset
  2. Press Capture Aligned Area.

    1. Alternatively, you can start an aligned-capturing space from the menu (…) while tracking an Area Target. The Area Target must be tracked before this option appears.
  3. Press Continue in the pop-up window.
  4. Proceed to scan the space.

    If the alignment fails, you can save the scanned space as an Area Target or a 3DT Space file.

Model Targets

Test your Model Targets in the Vuforia Creator App by importing your Model Target.

Press the Model Target asset to start testing and point your camera at the object.

Use the tools from the ellipses button for:

  • Changing tracking mode.
  • Selecting outline color schemes and outline width.
  • Turn on/turn off the Session Recorder.
  • Cycling through the Guide Views if the Model Target has more than one.
  • Enabling static device tracking.

NOTE: To test Model Targets using an Android device, see Model Target Test App User Guide.

Session Recording

Use the Vuforia Creator App to create Session Recordings of the objects and environments included in your AR experience. A Session Recording is a video with pose data embedded in the video file that you can use to playback in the Unity Editor. See Recording and Playback for more details on Session Recordings and Vuforia Play Mode in Unity.

  1. Press the + icon and select Record Session.
  2. Press the red record button in the camera view to start or stop the recording.
  3. Enter a name for the recorded Session file.
  4. The Session Recording will appear in the Asset Browser window. You can long-press the recording to rename it or transfer it to your desktop.
  1. NOTE: The recording cannot be played back in the app.

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