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2023 | Book

Hands-On Augmented Reality Development with Meta Spark Studio

A Beginner’s Guide

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About this book

Build augmented reality effects using Spark AR focusing on practical, project-based learning. With access to this technology being available in nearly every smartphone, the world of AR is expanding every day. Now is a great time to tell your creative story through this new medium. We will begin by learning the fundamentals of augmented reality, become familiar with key terminology, and discover the use cases this technology is most effective for. Using that foundational knowledge, we will learn how to make selfie effects, create virtual objects in the real world, and build games that respond to facial expressions and physical inputs.On completing the book, you will learn to ship effects publicly, to market their effects, and to create effects which are inclusive to their audience and have real user value.
You Will • Create a face-tracking and object-tracking project in Spark AR• Understand how to customize assets and parameters • Create demo videos and icons to represent their AR effects• Learn to package the effects for publishing officially to social media channels
Who Is This Book ForThis book is ideal for students, educators, creatives, small-business owners, or anyone else interested in creating immersive AR experiences for social networking platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. No coding or design experience is required.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Introduction to Augmented Reality
Abstract
Congratulations on embarking on an augmented reality (AR) journey! I look forward to accompanying you in developing your very own AR creations.
Jaleh Afshar
Chapter 2. Getting Started with Meta Spark Studio
Abstract
Now that we have an idea of some tools used for AR, let’s get started by installing Meta Spark Studio.
Jaleh Afshar
Chapter 3. Introduction to the Patch Editor
Abstract
While many elements of functionality and customization are built directly into the Meta Spark Studio’s object properties, patches (Figure 3-1) can enable you to truly unlock the sophistication of this software. By using patches, you can add features such as facial expression detection, voice changing, scoring a game, and more.
Jaleh Afshar
Chapter 4. Creating Your First Effect
Abstract
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with Meta Spark Studio’s interface and capabilities, let’s get hands on with creating a complete AR project—also called an “effect”—from scratch!
Jaleh Afshar
Chapter 5. Testing Effects
Abstract
While the Simulator is a convenient way to rapidly preview in-progress effects, it is simply an approximation of how your project will look and behave. For a more accurate depiction, it’s important to properly test how your augmented reality creations feel on the actual device a user would experience it on.
Jaleh Afshar
Chapter 6. Customizing Projects Through Asset Replacement
Abstract
By customizing the visual assets within your first (and subsequent) projects in this book, you can give your version of the effect a unique personality that best represents your own creativity. We’ll learn how to change texture and Color LUT assets in a way that can reimagine the feel of an effect entirely while keeping the same core objects and logic in the scene.
Jaleh Afshar
Chapter 7. Creating a Target Tracking Effect
Abstract
Now that we have some experience with developing an effect, let’s extend our skills to bring an additional dimension into images found in the real world through creating a target tracking effect.
Jaleh Afshar
Chapter 8. Creating an Augmented Reality Game
Abstract
Now that you’ve developed a few AR effects, you’ve accumulated a set of foundational techniques that can be combined to make even more sophisticated projects. Previously, we’ve explored using lightweight interactivity in our effects, such as an effect responding to the user opening their mouth. In this project, we will be constantly using our user’s actions to power the effect, thus making a more fully interactive game.
Jaleh Afshar
Chapter 9. Publishing Effects
Abstract
We’ve previously learned how to test effects on a device and share test links and QR codes. However, effect tests are only available for up to 50 users every 24 hours, and those links must be manually re-shared every time you change an aspect of the effect. To release your AR effect to a wider audience, the best way is through officially publishing it. Published effects are discoverable in the effect galleries on Meta’s social platforms, such as through the Facebook camera effects section, Instagram’s Stories and Reels creation flow, and more. Published effects can also be enjoyed by an unlimited number of users.
Jaleh Afshar
Chapter 10. Conclusion
Abstract
While the projects in this book have now concluded, your AR journey doesn’t have to end here! There are many ways for you to continue expanding your knowledge and experience in this field.
Jaleh Afshar
Backmatter
Metadata
Title
Hands-On Augmented Reality Development with Meta Spark Studio
Author
Jaleh Afshar
Copyright Year
2023
Publisher
Apress
Electronic ISBN
978-1-4842-9467-3
Print ISBN
978-1-4842-9466-6
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-9467-3

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