Marker-Based AR Catalog App for a Fashion Brand Learn more
Learn how OTR has created an immersive AR catalog app…
Challenge
Our client is a jewelry producer and vendor with a chain of small-to-medium-sized shops located across the country. Some of their luxury offerings were unique pieces, meaning they were not available at every store. The print media such as traditional brochures failed to replace the physical products.
They hired OTR to create an immersive try-in-any-location AR experience as a fast and engaging way to showcase a new series of premium rings. The application must be available for Play Market and AppStore to be accessed by the buyers and the sales team.
Some of the rings existed as product concepts only and some as ring frames that could be embedded with different stones. That meant our task was to implement AR customization capabilities and design some of the 3D models from scratch.
Solution: Description and Key Capabilities
SOLUTION:
Augmented Reality Application
INDUSTRY:
Retail
TECHNOLOGIES:
Unity Engine, C#, Vuforia
METHODOLOGIES:
Agile
PROJECT DURATION:
8.5 Weeks
PROJECT TEAM:
3D Modeler, 1 CG Artists, 1 Vuforia Developer, 1 C# Developer
Our key focus was to create an AR app that would provide buyers and our client’s shop assistants with an immersive try-on tool allowing customers to see how the rings look and feel.
The app featured the following capabilities:
Marker-based AR application;
AR product customization;
Android and iOS devices compatible;
Scalable 3D ring renders adjustable to a specific hand's size;
Buyers can move hands and look at the jewelry at various angles;
Screenshot taking and sharing options.
Development approach
We began with our client’s requirements investigation, drawing the broad idea for the application, and defining the critical development stages. We decided to rely on the Agile methodology to ensure we go in line with the tight schedule and could add more jewelry models should they appear. Our dev team chose the blend of Vuforia and Unity as their technology stack. We had already created several AR apps for retail by that time, and this combination proved right for that sort of project.
One of the most time-consuming stages was creating the ring renders based on the customer’s product photos. Recreating 3D jewelry models was similar to drawing CG art. Our artists had to pursue two goals: fully replicate the physical prototypes and make them visually appealing to catch potential buyers’ eyes.
The developers also integrated hand motion tracking capabilities to let buyers move and turn their hands within the marker-area. The next step was adding object recognition tools to recognize markers and hands, position the rings accordingly, and scale them to specific hand size. We then translated these features into the code a smartphone’s camera could process to overlay resizable 3D renders, carefully created by our design team earlier. The final step was integrating the customization menu to select a preferred model or stone type during the try-on process.
Results
OTR delivered an AR try-on app that lets consumers test jewelry pieces located remotely. Buyers can use their phones to preview products in different models and custom sizes and even move their hands while “wearing” them. They can share in-app screenshots with friends and family to feel more confident about their purchasing decisions.
The app has already reduced by 41% store-to-store transportation and merchandising costs. The application makes the in-shop try-ons entertaining: the experience’s novelty has attracted 47% more buyers. Now our client plans to integrate AR try-ons into their online shop’s product pages.
Further plans also include extending the list of showcased products with earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.
