USDZ – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

March 25, 2020

Millions of Sketchfab Models are now Available in Apple’s AR Format

During Apple’s WWDC 2018 event when iOS 12 made its official debut the company also unveiled a new file format specifically for augmented reality (AR) and ARKit, that format was USDZ. Today, 3D model library Sketchfab has announced it fully supports the format, unlocking millions of models in the process.

Available for the launch today will be 400,000 USDZ files instantly available for download across both free Creative Commons licensed models as well as royalty-free models. Creators can then use Sketchfab to convert from most 3D formats to USDZ. This will then give ARKit developers access to a massive range of 3D models for them to use within applications.

One of the biggest benefits adding USDZ support comes in the form of AR Quick Look. This feature allows iOS users viewing models on Sketchfab to quickly view them in AR. All they need to do is hit the download button on any downloadable model while logged into Sketchfab and select the USDZ option.

The platform is also working to bring the same functionality to the Sketchfab viewer in the near future.

Apple - Augmented Reality/AR At WWDC 18

“Our goal at Sketchfab has always been to make 3D content easily shareable and discoverable as widely as possible, and Apple’s AR platform – enabled thanks to USDZ – has become a key part of the ecosystem we play in. We are excited to offer a great new way to leverage the massive Sketchfab library,” said Alban Denoyel, Co-founder and CEO of Sketchfab in a statement.

There have been plenty of advancements in the AR field, both for consumers as well as enterprise. Companies like Dr. Seuss Enterprises have created educational apps for mobile devices while BBC Studios and Preloaded built BBC Earth – Micro Kingdoms: Senses for Magic Leap 1. For those wishing to create their own AR content, Psychic VR Lab’s STYLY platform will be adding that functionality later this year.

As further progress is made within the AR industry, VRFocus will keep you updated.

June 5, 2018

Adobe’s Project Aero Aims to Help Creators Build AR Content

Adobe recently unveiled a new project that aims to take the company further into the realm of augmented reality. Called Project Aero, the newly announced AR authoring tool and multi-platform system that will soon deliver a way for developers to build simple AR scenes and experiences for Apple’s ARKit.

In collaboration with Apple and Pixar, Adobe is also adding ‘usdz’ support to Adobe Creative Cloud apps and services, a file format that is a zero compression, unencrypted zip archive for 3D content such as AR/VR objects. The integration of usdz support was first announced at Apple’s WWDC, which saw the release of ARKit 2.0.

Users, the company says, will be able to create AR content using industry standard tools such as Photoshop CC and Dimension CC, and then “convert assets into usdz that can be natively consumed in the Apple ecosystem,” writes CTO Abhay Parasnis in an Adobe blogpost.

Essentially, Adobe is taking one step further into a world still largely dominated by 3D game engines such as Unreal and Unity, which could foretell and interesting forward march from 2D creation to a decidedly more 3D-focused business. Project Aero is heading into early access soon, and is available right now by request-only.

To show off what’s possible with Project Aero, Adobe has partnered with 15 artists for The Festival of the Impossible, a three-day immersive art exhibition in San Francisco which is featured in the video above.

“This is just the beginning of our journey to extend digital experiences beyond the screen and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead,” Parasnis says. “We’ll have much more to share at the Adobe MAX Creativity Conference later this fall.”

The post Adobe’s Project Aero Aims to Help Creators Build AR Content appeared first on Road to VR.

June 4, 2018

Apple Reveals USDZ – A New AR File Format Made With Pixar, Adobe Bringing Support To Creative Cloud

iOS 12 has made its official debut at Apple’s WWDC 2018 event and has brought quite a lot of new toys with it. And the team kicked off discussions by focusing on how the tech conglomerate is continuing its focus on augmented technology. It was last year at the same time, almost to the day, that Apple revealed its AR developer platform ARKit and now as then Apple’s Craig Federighi took to the stage to talk attendees through not just the rumoured ARKit 2, as reported earlier on VRFocus, but other developments.

WWDC 18 The first announcement was a brand-new file format specifically for working with AR. Something developed companies such as Pixar – “some of the greatest minds in 3D.”

“AR is transformational technology.” Federighi told the audience at San Jose’s McEnery Convention Center. “Bringing experiences into the real world? It enables all kinds of new experiences, changing the way we have fun and the way we work. In iOS12 we wanted to make an easy way to experience AR across the system.”

The new file format is called USDZ (or Universal Scene Description), which has a focus on sharing content and will be able to be used or viewed in everything from internal file views, to the web browser Safari to email. Enabling you to place 3D models into the real world. “It’s something like ‘AR quick-look’”, Federighi explained.

USDZ - Universal Scene Description Apple confirmed that they would be working with leading companies in 3D tools and libraries to bring USDZ support to their services. With Allegorithmic (developer of Substance), PTC, Turbosquid, Adobe, Autodesk, Sketchfab and Quixel all namechecked on stage.

“At Adobe we believe that augmented reality is an incredibly important technology. And with ARKit, Apple is by far the most powerful platform for AR.” Added Adobe‘s Executive Vice President and CTO Abhay Parasnis who appeared on stage to explain more about the company’s work on USDZ, something he described as “a pretty big deal” and confirming that USDZ support would be coming to Adobe’s Creative Cloud set of applications and services.

“With Creative Cloud designers and developers will now be able to use familiar apps – apps that they know and love, like Photoshop or Dimension – to create amazing AR content, and bring it easily via USDZ.”

Parasnis also confirmed a new Adobe creative app for iOS, specifically for designing AR-related content that will enable developers to bring in anything from text to images and video on Creative Cloud directly into a WYSIWIG AR editing environment.

VRFocus will bring you more news on the AR developments on WWDC shortly.