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Vuforia + Hololens -> Has anyone succeed putting them to work together?
Hi all,
I'm struggling for days with Vuforia and how to track objects with Hololens. The explanation provided on this forum targets only Webcam, but for the Hololens there are still many problems with Vuforia instructions, Vuforia/Unity packages, as well as the App key.
First, following the instructions is quite fine, but it seems that Vuforia team "forgot" to add the Application key for "StonesAndChips" database they have been using in this example. Using your own database within the provided instructions example might cause unnecessary side effects I'm afraid.
Furthermore, if you choose to create your own App/Database and use corresponding Target (marker image) and Application key, that's not working neither inside Vuforia's provided unity example for Hololens (the teapots) nor in your own App (meaning download and import "unity-earlyaccess package" + "your_database package" + using "your_database_app_key").
I followed this example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfxqfdtxyVA to better understand how Vuforia and Unity work together. It works pretty good even with the Hololens (it is possible to track the marker and place the object on top of it), but instead of Holograms, you can see real-time video of your environment (of course it's different package; still this is the only thing that works for now).
So, any idea what to use, how to solve the problem? Has anyone actually created something that would like to share, in terms of what steps to accomplish or at least some hint to follow?
I saw one post (this forum) on the same issue. When it comes to it, I don't understand what "create apps for android/mobile" means exactly? Vuforia ver. 6 unity extension targets all apps, right? Also, in the same post we were advised to use "earlyaccess" for Hololens aps. So, no mobile/android thing that we can use there.
I'd appreciate any kind of help. The Vuforia forum is a bit slow.
Thanks!
Zona
Best Answer
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OptionsJimbohalo10 ✭✭✭
Hi @zona Several things here:
1. I have only ever used Vuforia Mark VuMark
2. I loaded the HoloLens SDK into Unity 5.4F3 NOT Unity 5.5 because that broke
3. I suppose I cheated a bit because I copied the files from vuforia-samples-eyewear-unity-6-0-117.zip VuMark, because the HoloLens early access don't seem to work.
4. I unlocked the connection between HoloLens and ARCamera to find this problem.
5. The video is all about using Android, no compatibility and leads you deeper into Unity than needed
6. I have always used the VuMark standards library to test everything.
7. According the Vuforia HoloLens Release not all development is on other platforms then transferred, so you would develop in Vuforia 6, test this in Unity and UWP then transfer to HoloLens.
8. Other users have noticed a shift of positioning when using HoloLens, making development near impossible.
9. The fact that the VuMark code from HoloLens is incompatible compared with the standard SDK kit, IMHO makes it impossible to even port past projects.- I have never used Vuforia Image recognition, nor do I intend to do so.
The download vuforia-samples-advanced-unity-6-0-120.zip (157.13 MB) Introducing new Find The Penguin sample in Best Practices that shows multiple techniques for positioning virtual content in real-world settings.
The FindThePenguin sample shows how to use the Rotational Device Tracker and User Defined Targets to create an app like Pokémon Go, where a character is displayed in the real world. With Vuforia you can anchor a character to the ground so that you can actually walk around it and get closer.
Seems more like the project you need for ARThere is a new set of documentation, but not related to HoloLens. IMHO you need to know Vuforia 6 well to be able to develop and port projects to HoloLens.
- The support for HoloLens early access will stop at end 2016. I expect they will assess how many PAYING customers will use this before they bring out further HoloLens versions.
- The UWP version is based on C++ so it wont be any use in Unity which is C# based
Finally I wont be developing for Vuforia like you. I simply like to test the software and give feedback
6
Answers
You should add some information about the script configurations that are attached to the Vuforia prefabs (maybe just take a screenshot of them).
Sorry, I don't understand what do you mean. Should I include screenshots of the steps I performed and/or scripts taken with all configurations (e.g. the activate database checkbox and similar)?
Thanks a lot!
There's an ARCamera prefab and an ImageTarget prefab and both have scripts attached to them. My suggestion was to take a screenshot of the inspector so that people see which values you've set there. That may help to find the problem.
First attempt was using the Vuforia's example Unity scene to work with the Hololens:
I downloaded both packages and import them into Unity. Clearly, I need "StonesAndChips" database access or "App licence key" for this thing to work.
Then I tried to put my own marker inside the proposed Vuforia's scenes. I created my own app, obtained App licence key, created the target and downloaded the Database package:
I placed the marker into the scene next to the teapots and choose the exact image target:
After that I tried all possible combinations: to activate my database only, to keep them both being activated, with "keep AR camera alive" option turned on and off:
Nothing worked!
So, my last try was excluding the proposed Vuforia's scenes and creating my own scene. I imported "vuforia-unity-6-1-9-earlyaccess" and "VuforiaHololensApp" packages (the last one is my own app's package/database). I checked all that has been marked in the picture below. I tried again to turn on than off the "keep AR camera alive" option.
That didn't work as well.
I think I don't need to explain building and deploying steps, since I've created Holograms before. Also, the video example from my initial post is working. But, instead of Holograms, I have real-time video of my environment with both, marker and 3D object on top of it.
Please, let me know if there's something wrong I'm been doing all this time.
Thanks a lot!
Zona
I use vuforia on mobile with great performance. Cant say the same for hololens. I tried the early access and I think its not ready yet.
Hi,
I am having a different problem, but got maybe a little further. One thing I notice in your capture is that you have "central anchor point" in the camera empty. Based on the pdf in the "early..." package, you should have an hololens camera in here instead.
The document says you should add a standard Unity camera (so you'll end up with two cameras), set it up as a typical hololens camera and then in the ARcamera set that camera as central anchor point.
Once this is done I could get the objects to show up, but they are actually NOT where they should be from the editor.
My problem is that the preview inside Unity works fine (tested with Webcam and a moving target in front of it) but once on the Hololens, the objects do not show in the same relative position as in the editor. The feeling is as if they were anchored to another central point rather than the target picture.
Thanks for your reply. I will check that immediately.
I have two more questions in the meantime. Have you used Mobile or Eyewear application type? and Have you used VuMark (svg) or your own image Target?
Thanks!
Also, putting the Hololens camera as the "central anchor point" didn't help as well. I've noticed I'm missing "Vuforia.pdb" and "VuforiaWrapper.pdb" (not the dll files!). After the Unity splash screen (using Hololens) nothing shows up!
>
You don't need the missing "Vuforia.pdb" and "VuforiaWrapper.pdb". .pdb file are debug files for Visual Studio debugger.
You need to build with "Release" mode as Vuforia Early release only seems to work with Release at the code is optimised same as the Unity libraries
In fact you need to remove/delete "Vuforia.pdb" and "VuforiaWrapper.pdb " in Visual Studio
or the builder wont work.
See thread Vuforia Manual - Working with the Hololens Sample in Unity
Hi, thanks for reply. I checked your example even before. Have you tried to develop something with image tracker or VuMark (svg) only?
The problem with VuMark is that you can't add it as the "Image Target" on the "Image Target Behavior".
Also, I tried both Mobile (as you suggested) and Eyewear APP versions and still not working. Can you share some basic unity scene with image tracker and AR camera that works with all the parameters defined? That way I might spot some missing thing. I believe I tried everything and start thinking this is not doable. Any example would be priceless.
Thanks!
Hi @zona Several things here:
1. I have only ever used Vuforia Mark VuMark
2. I loaded the HoloLens SDK into Unity 5.4F3 NOT Unity 5.5 because that broke
3. I suppose I cheated a bit because I copied the files from vuforia-samples-eyewear-unity-6-0-117.zip VuMark, because the HoloLens early access don't seem to work.
4. I unlocked the connection between HoloLens and ARCamera to find this problem.
5. The video is all about using Android, no compatibility and leads you deeper into Unity than needed
6. I have always used the VuMark standards library to test everything.
7. According the Vuforia HoloLens Release not all development is on other platforms then transferred, so you would develop in Vuforia 6, test this in Unity and UWP then transfer to HoloLens.
8. Other users have noticed a shift of positioning when using HoloLens, making development near impossible.
9. The fact that the VuMark code from HoloLens is incompatible compared with the standard SDK kit, IMHO makes it impossible to even port past projects.
The download vuforia-samples-advanced-unity-6-0-120.zip (157.13 MB) Introducing new Find The Penguin sample in Best Practices that shows multiple techniques for positioning virtual content in real-world settings.
The FindThePenguin sample shows how to use the Rotational Device Tracker and User Defined Targets to create an app like Pokémon Go, where a character is displayed in the real world. With Vuforia you can anchor a character to the ground so that you can actually walk around it and get closer.
Seems more like the project you need for AR
There is a new set of documentation, but not related to HoloLens. IMHO you need to know Vuforia 6 well to be able to develop and port projects to HoloLens.
Finally I wont be developing for Vuforia like you. I simply like to test the software and give feedback