FLARtoolkit

by admin | Sun, 08/02/2009 - 19:34

As far as the libraries and apps from ARToolkit was wrote in C++ languaje, you had to build each library in order to have AR suppport in your computer, and that's is a big limitation bucause you have to re-compile the apps for each computer that you want to execute the app. 

That changed thanks to Nyatla (developer of NyARToolkit) who ported the code from C++ to Java. That was a big improvement on usability, because you only need a Java virtual machine to execute and AR app, so is easier to execute the same app in different systems without having to re-build the app. And from this point, Saqoosha made the port from Java to ActionScript3.

What is it? (extended from the saqoosha's original web page)

  • ActionScript3 ported version of ARToolKit so you can develop and build AR apps using the Flash IDE or Flex Builder (you get a SWF or AIR app)
  • Actually, FLARToolKit is based on NyARToolkit, Java ported version of ARToolKit.
  • FLARToolKit recognize the marker from input image. and calculate its orientation and position in 3D world.
  • The programmer has to draw 3D graphics by his own, but the task is really easy as far as there are included helper classes for major flash 3D engines (Papervision3D, Away3D, Sandy, Alternativa3D).
Where can I get it?
FLARtoolkit is availabe using SVN: svn checkout http://www.libspark.org/svn/as3/FLARToolKit/trunk/ FLARToolKit-read-only
I dont know how to use SVN (from the Papervision SVN howto)
PC
On Windows, we recommend TortoiseSVN.
Once installed, create a folder where you want to put the source files, open the folder, right click (anywhere inside the folder) and select svn checkout. In the dialogue that pops up fill in the SVN URL.
Mac
On OS X, we recommend SVNX.
This gives you a pleasant GUI where you can set up Repositories, connect to them, and simply drag
GPL license
FLARToolKit is free to use for non-commercial applications under the GPL license. This means the complete source code for your application must be made available to anyone that asks for it. FLARToolKit is based on the ARToolKit library under the GPL license and so the source code for any FLARToolKit applications that are made needs to be GPL as well.

For more information about the conditions of the GNU General Public License, version 2, click here.

Commercial License

If you are interested in developing a commercial application or not releasing your FLARToolKit application source code then you should contact ARToolWorks (info_at_artoolworks.com) for a commercial license. In this case you will not have to make your source code available.