Wikitude Breaks From the Pack; Releases Augmented Reality Browser API

Written by Marshall Kirkpatrick / September 7, 2009 1:27 PM / 6 Comments

Augmented Reality (AR), the class of technologies that places sets of data on top of other views of the world around a user, is fast becoming a very crowded market. Austrian AR browser maker Wikitude has taken a very competitive step this afternoon with the release of its Application Programming Interface (API) to power AR browsers on any other application.

The company says its API "represents the emergence of an open AR development platform which could further drive the adoption of Wikitude as a potential standard for developers who want to create their own mobile AR experience." Get ready to see Augmented Reality come to far more mobile applications and for Wikitude's competitors to respond.

Wikitude displays Wikipedia and user-contributed Points of Interest over the camera view of Android phones, over a Google map or in list form. Wikitude.me provides an easy way for anyone to add Points of Interest that are immediately available to Wikitude mobile users. The company has said in the past that it intends to put all of that data under a Creative Commons license. The new API will allow an Augmented Reality camera view to be added to any other Android application that contains geographic data. Hopefully an API will be available from iPhone apps when the next version of the iPhone operating system is released. (We've asked Wikitude about that.)

Wikitude says it worked with more than 100 developers from 25 countries in building its API. Both commercial and non-commercial API keys are available to remove the watermark placed over non-keyed implementations. The API allows developers to customize the actions that occur when info-balloon overlays are clicked on and change the menu options for the AR browser.

Will competitors like Layar, AcrossAir, Tochnidot, RobotVision and others release APIs soon as well? They have to be working on it, but Wikitude appears to have the most open disposition, one of the broadest developer communities and thus may be the best suited to become the AR platform of choice.

There are enough players in the AR field already that the competition will likely come down to two things: usability of interfaces and developer-friendliness. May the games begin!

Comments

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That's really amazing! Applications like this are really going to change the way the we travel, commute, and take in information. No doubt we'll see a lot more of these types of applications popping up over the next few months. Really the possibilities with what you can do with these for historical points, news, and just general geographic information will be astounding.

Posted by: Jeremia Froyland | September 7, 2009 3:06 PM

Our developer team at Mobilizy opened the Wikitude API to the community because we honestly believe that it is the right thing to do. When I say "do the right thing" I am referring to a decision we made based upon careful deliberation of what would benefit society the most.

In summary, doing the right thing has to do with helping to build and shape our world as a platform by placing relevant, timely and useful information into its natural context. In a very real way what we are doing is extending the virtual world of the Internet into every facet of our lives.

I believe that one day augmented reality technologies will become so "ubiquitous" that the reference to AR will one day come to pass and our "reality' will become a routine juxtaposition of bits and atoms, digital and material.

Exciting times ahead!

MAMK

Posted by: World Browser | September 8, 2009 12:15 AM

To be fair on the others though though, Layer lets anyone develop a layer, host it themselves, and submit to their database.
Theres also Gamaray;
http://www.gamaray.com/
Which has its dimension format open and anyone can make them and host them on http.

So its not like Wikitude is the -only- one being open here (or partly open), allthough I think their the first with an API.
Thankfully, all the major players in the AR field seem keen to form open standards.
The only thing that worrys me is the inability to see multiple layers from many companys at the same time.

"I believe that one day augmented reality technologies will become so "ubiquitous" that the reference to AR will one day come to pass and our "reality' will become a routine juxtaposition of bits and atoms, digital and material."

Couldn't possibly agree more.
AR will revolutionize every facet of our lives, and I dont think we can even start to comprehend its longterm impact.

Environmentally, Socially, Industrially....its hard to think of an area it wont effect.

Posted by: Thomas | September 8, 2009 3:05 AM

I just started putting this wiki together for anyone interested in Augmented Reality:

Augmented Reality Wiki
http://augmentedrealitywiki.com

Cheers.

Posted by: Duncan | September 8, 2009 11:03 AM

Can't wait to see other apps for AR.

Posted by: West Coast Vinyl | September 13, 2009 12:15 AM

HAHA this app looks extremely fun to use. From an iphone developer standpoint this is extremely innovative. I am anxiously anticipating using it! I can imagine it being really useful, and just cool to use once in a while.

Posted by: ricky221 | February 3, 2010 4:31 PM