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Read an interview with the editor now! The current price of virtual reality headsets may seem out of economic reach for most libraries, but the potential of "assisted reality" tools goes well beyond merely inviting patrons to strap on a pair of goggles. Ranging from enhanced training to using third-party apps to enrich digital collections, there is a kaleidoscope of library uses for augmented, virtual, or mixed reality. In this collection, Varnum and his hand-picked team of contributors share exciting, surprising, and inspiring case studies from a mix of institution types, spotlighting such topics as collaborative virtual reality for improved library instruction, education, and learning and teaching; 3D modeling using virtual reality; virtual reality as collaboration space, from gaming to teleconferencing; balancing access with security, and other privacy issues; future possibilities for augmented reality in public libraries; and augmented reality for museums and special collection libraries. A perfect introduction to the topic, this book will encourage libraries to look beyond their own reality and adapt the ideas inside.

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that enables the user to see the real world, with virtual objects superimposed upon or composited with the real world. This book includes chapters focused on the following: the methodology of AR software for educational purposes; the use of augmented reality applications in the area of music education and music therapy; medical AR (in which the virtual entity is medical data); the role of AR in consumers' augmented experiences; and AR for cultural heritage, meaning the developments in multimedia technology to facilitate the learning experience in cultural heritage with the aid of improved user interaction methods.

Create engaging Augmented Reality (AR) applications with Unity 3D that can be experienced with devices such as HoloLens and Daydream Key Features Learn the principles of AR application development Work with the most popular sensors used in AR games and applications across Android, Apple and Windows Build experiences with interactive objects, physics, UI, animations, and C# scripting Book Description Augmented Reality allows for radical innovations in countless areas. It magically blends the physical and virtual worlds, bringing applications from a screen into your hands. Meanwhile, Unity has now become the leading platform to develop augmented reality experiences, as it provides a great pipeline for working with 3D assets. Using a practical and project-based approach, Unity 2018 Augmented Reality Projects educates you about the specifics of augmented reality development in Unity 2018. This book teaches you how to use Unity in order to develop AR applications which can be experienced with devices such as HoloLens and Daydream. You will learn to integrate, animate, and overlay 3D objects on your camera feed, before gradually moving on to implementing sensor-based AR applications. In addition to this, you will explore the technical considerations that are especially important and possibly unique to AR. The projects in the book demonstrate how you can build a variety of AR experiences, whilst also giving insights into C# programming as well as the Unity 3D game engine via the interactive Unity Editor. By the end of the book, you will be equipped to develop rich, interactive augmented reality experiences for a range of AR devices and platforms using Unity. What you will learn Build and run AR applications for specific headsets, including HoloLens and Daydream Create 3D scenes with Unity and other 3D tools while learning about world space and scale Move around your AR scenes using locomotion and teleportation Create filters or overlays that work in tandem with facial recognition software Use GPS, geolocation services, and the camera feed to create a fitness application Integrate AR and VR concepts together in a single application Who this book is for Unity 2018 Augmented Reality Projects is for you if you're a game developer familiar with 3D computer graphics and interested in building your own AR games or applications. Any experience in Unity and C# is an advantage.

Create your own augmented reality games from scratch with Unity 5About This Book- Create your own augmented reality game from scratch and join the virtual reality gaming revolution- Use the latest Unity 5 VR SDK to create pro-level AR games like Pokemon Go- Innovate and explore the latest and most promising trend of AR gaming in the mobile gaming industryWho This Book Is ForThis book is for those who have a basic knowledge of game development techniques, but no previous knowledge of Unity is required. Some basic programming knowledge would be desirable, but the book is an introduction to the topic. The book is also suitable for experienced developers new to GIS or GPS development.What You Will Learn- Build a location-based augmented reality game called Foodie Go- Animate a player's avatar on a map- Use the mobile device's camera as a game background- Implement database persistence with SQLLite4Unity3D to carry inventory items across game sessions- Create basic UI elements for the game, inventory, menu, and settings- Perform location and content searches against the Google Places API- Enhance the game's mood by adding visual shader effects- Extend the game by adding multiplayer networking and other enhancementsIn DetailThe heyday of location-based augmented reality games is upon us. They have been around for a few years, but the release of Pokemon Go was a gamechanger that catalyzed the market and led to a massive surge in demand. Now is the time for novice and experienced developers alike to turn their good ideas into augmented reality (AR) mobile games and meet this demand!If you are keen to develop virtual reality games with the latest Unity 5 toolkit, then this is the book for you. The genre of location-based AR games introduces a new platform and technical challenges, but this book will help simplify those challenges and show how to maximize your game audience.This book will take you on a journey through building a location-based AR game that addresses the core technical concepts: GIS fundamentals, mobile device GPS, mapping, map textures in Unity, mobile device camera, camera textures in Unity, accessing location-based services, and other useful Unity tips. The technical material also discusses what is necessary for further development to create a multiplayer version of the game. At the end, you will be presented with troubleshooting techniques in case you get into trouble and need a little help.Style and approachThis book shows you how to create every step of the game and gives practical examples.

Create next-generation Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality apps with the latest version of Google ARCore Key Features Harness the power of the Google's new augmented reality (AR) platform ARCore to build cutting-edge Augmented reality apps Learn core concepts of Environmental Understanding, Immersive Computing, and Motion Tracking with ARCore Extend your application by combining ARCore with OpenGL, Machine Learning and more. Book Description Are you a mobile developer or web developer who wants to create immersive and cool Augmented Reality apps with the latest Google ARCore platform? If so, this book will help you jump right into developing with ARCore and will help you create a step by step AR app easily. This book will teach you how to implement the core features of ARCore starting from the fundamentals of 3D rendering to more advanced concepts such as lighting, shaders, Machine Learning, and others. We'll begin with the basics of building a project on three platforms: web, Android, and Unity. Next, we'll go through the ARCore concepts of motion tracking, environmental understanding, and light estimation. For each core concept, you'll work on a practical project to use and extend the ARCore feature, from learning the basics of 3D rendering and lighting to exploring more advanced concepts. You'll write custom shaders to light virtual objects in AR, then build a neural network to recognize the environment and explore even grander applications by using ARCore in mixed reality. At the end of the book, you'll see how to implement motion tracking and environment learning, create animations and sounds, generate virtual characters, and simulate them on your screen. What you will learn Build and deploy your Augmented Reality app to the Android, Web, and Unity platforms Implement ARCore to identify and visualize objects as point clouds, planes, surfaces, and/or meshes Explore advanced concepts of environmental understanding using Google ARCore and OpenGL ES with Java Create light levels from ARCore and create a C# script to watch and propagate lighting changes in a scene Develop graphics shaders that react to changes in lighting and map the environment to place objects in Unity/C# Integrate motion tracking with the Web ARCore API and Google Street View to create a combined AR/VR experience Who this book is for This book is for web and mobile developers who have broad programming knowledge on Java or JavaScript or C# and want to develop Augmented Reality applications with Google ArCore. To follow this book no prior experience with AR development, 3D, or 3D math experience is needed.

Create interactive and intuitiveness HoloLens applications with easeAbout This Book* Start developing immersive and interactive apps for Microsoft HoloLens * Explore the Windows Universal Development platform for HoloLens development* Leverage the full set of HoloLens sensors to create mesmerizing appsWho This Book Is ForIf you are a developer new to Windows Universal development platform and want to get started with HoloLens development, then this is the book for you. No prior experience of C# programming or of the .NET framework is needed to get started with this book.What You Will Learn* Write an app that responds to verbal commands* Communicate between devices in the boundaries of the UWP model* Create sounds in the app and place them in a 3D space* Build simple apps that display holograms* Interact with the physical environment while taking physical boundaries into accountIn DetailHoloLens revolutionizes the way we work and interact with the virtual world. HoloLens brings you the amazing world of augmented reality and provides an opportunity to explore it like never before. This is the best book for developers who want to start creating interactive and intuitive augmented reality apps for the HoloLens platform.You will start with a walkthrough of the HoloLens hardware before creating your first app. Next you will be introduced to the various HoloLens sensors and find out how to program them efficiently so that they can interact with the real world seamlessly. Moving on, you will learn how to create smart animations and add video overlay that implements real-time tracking and motion-sensing abilities to your HoloLens app. Finally, you will learn how to test your app effectively.Style and approachThis book takes a step-by-step tutorial-style approach. It will guide you through every step with practical examples and make sure that you are confident enough to create your own HoloLens app from scratch by the end of the book.