Unity AR Prototype

Project for LittleGiants

TL;DR

I developed a Unity-based prototype for Digieye, a startup providing AR content for scan-and-go applications. The prototype showcased features like static text, images, video playback, interactive elements, and product-relative placement. With no prior Unity or AR experience, I learned on the go using official tutorials and integrated plugins like AVProVideo for video playback and Vuforia for object tracking. The project involved configuring Unity, Android Studio, and troubleshooting to run the prototype on a physical device.

Digieye is a startup aiming to provide a service for displaying AR content around store products in scan-and-go applications. The goal is to enable manufacturers to present more engaging and educational content to customers about their products. The final product would consist of a client portal where manufacturers could create and manage their products and design interactive content. This content would be shown to customers through scan-and-go applications using an AR overlay plugin.

Digieye App

The AR plugin was to be implemented in Unity, and we needed a prototype to demonstrate its functionalities. I was tasked with creating the first version of the prototype, which had to showcase the following features:

Static text elements
Static images
Video playback
Interactive elements
Element placement relative to the product

Having no prior experience with Unity or AR, I had to learn the basics on the go. I used official and video tutorials to understand Unity's concepts. I then implemented the features one by one, validating each element before moving on to the next.

For video playback, I used the AVProVideo plugin from RenderHeads, and for object tracking and placement, I used Vuforia. Configuring and integrating these plugins into the Unity project presented a significant challenge.

To test the prototype, I exported it as an Android project using Unity's built-in export tool. This required additional troubleshooting and configuration in both Unity and Android Studio to ensure the project ran successfully on a physical device.

The resulting prototype demonstrated all the required features, and I documented the steps for exporting and using it to facilitate future development. This project challenged me to work with technologies far outside my existing skill set, requiring me to learn a new language, framework, and plugins. I managed to avoid getting sidetracked by unnecessary complexities and delivered the requested features along with comprehensive documentation.