Microsoft highlights how to develop for augmented reality with Vuforia for Windows 10

The Windows Developer blog over at Microsoft released a How-To today for developers looking at creating with Vuforia. For those that don’t know, Vuforia is the world’s leading augmented reality platform with already over 250,000 developer licenses. It’s most commonly known as a tool that can attach images to 3D models using the HoloLens’ augmented reality.

Adding onto the already successful AR platform, Vuforia teamed up with Microsoft to become a Universal Windows Platform. As a UWP, the tool is available to a larger audience of developers looking to create new experiences. Essentially, it can be used for all Windows 10 devices by using cameras or the HoloLens headset to view attached models of real-world objects and images. Straight from the Unity engine, developers can install the Vuforia plug in and go.

This is the same tool that made playing the popular Yu-Gi-Oh! Card with the use of holographic monsters possible. Looking at each card summons the monster in front of you similar to the anime’s plot. Vuforia’s image recognition isn’t entirely bug-free, but it is highly impressive. Another splendid example of the tool being used in Unity can be seen in a presentation at Microsoft’s developer conference, Build earlier this year.

If you’re looking to get started, the tutorial on the blog is a good stepping stone. It will walk you through the instructions on how to place a 3D model of a yacht onto a magazine image. This is just the beginning. With practice, you can either use the assets in the Unity store or create your own to start developing your unique projects.