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Introduction

AR Clip VPS works out where a device is from what its camera sees. This page explains how it works and walks you through your first project.

VPS stands for visual positioning system. It keeps AR content in place in the real world, with no markers. It works on phones, in the browser and on AR glasses, and it does not depend on GPS accuracy or a native app install.

How it works​

VPS has two parts:

  1. Mapping. You capture a real place, and AR Clip turns it into a map.
  2. Localization. A device compares its camera image with that map and gets its exact position.

Mapping​

A map is a VPS-ready copy of a real place. You can capture one in several ways:

  • AR Clip Mapper — our phone app. It records the video VPS needs.
  • Scanners and cameras — LiDAR, 360° cameras and RGB-D (depth) sensors.
  • REST API — upload images or point clouds you already have.

AR Clip builds the map from your capture. When it is done, the map works with every SDK.

Pass the location ID

Every map has a location ID. Pass one or more location IDs to the SDK (locationIds), so it knows which maps to compare the camera image with. In the REST API, each map also has its own mapId.

Localization​

Localization finds the device's position and orientation on the map — its pose. VPS compares live camera frames with the map and returns the pose. How accurate it is depends on the quality of the map and on conditions on site, such as lighting.

You can localize with:

  • the SDKs for iOS, Android, Unity and the web;
  • projects built in AR Clip Studio, in the browser;
  • the REST API, for server-side or custom clients.

Your first project​

  1. Create an account at arclip.design. The free plan includes the SDKs, the REST API and the mapping tools. You get your apiKey when you sign up.
  2. Capture a map. Use AR Clip Mapper, or upload your own data. When processing finishes, the map appears under Maps in the console.
  3. Add the SDK. Install the SDK for your platform and give it your apiKey and the location IDs of your maps. Once localization succeeds, you start getting pose updates.
  4. Build the AR experience. Attach anchors, routes and content in Unity, AR Clip Studio, Three.js or your own renderer.

Developer token​

<your-developer-token>

Find your token in your account settings. Use it for REST API calls, such as automated map management.

Keep your token secret

Treat it like a password. Keep it out of client-side code, screenshots and public repositories. If it leaks, revoke it in your account and create a new one.

Next: AR Clip Mapper — capture your first map.