One comment I hear at times is that “It would be great if tracking was better” and can you improve it?  It is a really good question, but also a fairly complicated answer.  I think that it is important to first define some terms so that this makes sense:

(Initial) Alignment - This is the initial step where a person would align the digital content (3D models or other content) to the real-world object or equipment.  Depending on the device the person is using (tablet, smartphone, Hololens, etc), this step in the process may vary in how it is completed as well as which method would provide the best results.  The OS will also impact this (iOS, Android, Windows).  

Methods of alignment include:

• Marker (or “poster”) - this is where the camera on the device would be used to recognize a predefined image or QR code, and content would be placed relative to this point of (0,0,0).  The placement of the marker is critical in the accuracy of the content placement
• Object or Model (Tracking) - This is particularly confusing when the word “tracking” is often attached to Object or Model, which is not accurate.  This method used the CAD file (3D Model) to place the content relative to the real world object.  Despite the use of the word “tracking”, this method is used for alignment.  When implemented properly through the use of an authoring software like WorkLink Create, this method can provide very good results for alignment
• Manually Placed Content - This method allows a person to use their own judgment to place content on top of the real world object.  Usually the digital content will hover in a predefined position in space, and move when the device moves.  Once it is in the “right place” the person can lock it into that location. In some cases, you may have the ability to make fine-tuning adjustments to the location to improve accuracy.

Now that the content is placed in the real world through an Alignment step, this is when Tracking kicks in.  

Tracking keeps the position of the digital content in the real world when you move around after Alignment has been completed.  Tracking is largely a function of the capabilities of the device itself.  For iOS and Android, standard toolkits of ARKit and ARCore are what make these devices AR compatible.  Hololens uses its own area scanning technology to map the area and remember where the content is supposed to be.  Other Windows devices do not have an internal AR toolkit, so not great for this type of application.

So back to the question of “Can you improve Tracking?”.  There are lots of factors in this, but I certainly share that we have several customers particularly in the aerospace industry who require less than 0.1” accuracy and achieve this successfully. However, we also have customers who indicate that “tracking” is not accurate enough for their specific user cases.  As defined above, generally speaking they are using the same Tracking technology, so what is the difference?

The answer is complicated (and NOT usually Tracking at all), but it is more likely a result of one (or several of these factors)

• Alignment from the start - If the alignment is not accurate, the result will be an experience where content is either not in the right place (left/right or up/down) or will appear to drift (placed in the wrong depth).  Drifting is almost entirely a result of poor placement of content in the alignment stage and not actually tracking.
• Lighting - If the camera on device cannot properly “see” the area or object, yes, content may move
• Dirty camera - Same as above.  It is incredible how important it is to ensure your camera is clean.  The tracking technology essentially recognizes points of contrast to keep the content in the right spot.  Imagine how difficult this would be if there are fingerprints or dirt on your camera!
• Use Case - This is definitely a real thing.  Some use cases are simply better than others.  If you have an object with nicely defined edges, color contrasts, good shapes, and relative size being easy to see in your camera, this will be important for success. It should be noted that this is somewhat simplified and the IMU in your device will also help with this stability.  However, Remember - not all use cases should expect the same level of success.

Finally, the most important aspect of successful use of AR that is aligned to a real world object is Best Practices.  As we know, this is a rapidly evolving technology (hardware, software, enterprise readiness, digital thread, etc) so depending on the accuracy that is required and use case being deployed to, ensuring you learn and follow the most current best-practices will be key to your success.  Learning and applying best practices will undoubtedly result in a higher degree of success.  When in doubt, feel free to lean on the experts here at Scope AR to provide guidance and support, or ask for more advice right here in the Forum and I am certain that other WorkLink users will be happy to provide advice!  Also remember that not all use cases are the same, so selecting a use case that aligns to the technology is part of best-practices.   

I realize that this is a simplistic overview of how Alignment, Tracking, Devices and Use Cases can affect your experience, but hopefully it will help add some clarity (or at least things to think about) the next time you are planning your project to ensure the most successful outcome.  I would love to hear other thoughts, experiences and questions around this!