Smart Terrain is a feature of the Qualcomm Vuforia SDK that allows devices with depth sensing cameras to reconstruct environments and interact with objects and surfaces. It provides advantages over standard cameras like automatic initialization and faster, richer results without requiring motion. Smart Terrain uses infrared depth sensors to project infrared light, fuse the RGB image with a depth map, and reconstruct surfaces and objects in the environment. Developers can utilize the Smart Terrain API for consistent lifecycle management and event handling across depth sensing devices.

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2. Smart Terrain™ feature for
Depth Sensing Cameras
David Beard
Developer Evangelist, Qualcomm Connected Experiences, Inc.
Smart Terrain is a feature of the Qualcomm Vuforia SDK.
Qualcomm Vuforia is a product of Qualcomm Connected Experiences, Inc.

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Smart Terrain
Reconstructs the environment
Awareness of your environment
Intelligence to interact with objects
and surfaces

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Overview
Smart Terrain for standard device cameras
Advantages of Depth Sensing
How it works
Developing with Smart Terrain

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Smart Terrain for
Standard Device Cameras

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Supported Environments
Simulated images

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Initializing Smart Terrain
Simulated images

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Builds Primary Surface
Simulated images

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Detects Props
Simulated images

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Approximates Objects
& Surfaces
Simulated images

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Smart Terrain for
Depth Sensing Cameras

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Advantages of Depth Sensing Devices
Standard Device Cameras
Uses an initialization target
Requires user motion
Approximates objects
Infrared Depth Sensors
Automatic initialization
No motion required
Faster and richer results

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Depth Sensing Cameras
Standard Device Cameras
Uses visible light
Senses contrast
Infrared Depth Sensors
Projects Infrared light
Fuses RGB image &
depth map

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Automatic initialization
Simulated images

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Faster and richer results
Simulated images

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Surface reconstruction
Simulated images

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Object reconstruction
Simulated images

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Automatic scale estimation
Simulated images

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Developing with
Smart Terrain

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Best Practices
Recommendations for the best user experiences
Supported Environments
User Experience
Designing content
Managing meshes

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Near range experiences
Stages with visually distince borders
Opaque non-reflective surfaces
Stable room lighting
Supported Environments

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Designing Content
Simulated images

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Managing Meshes
Simulated images

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Abstracts the features of the hardware
Consistent life cycle management
Consistent event handling
Easy portability
Smart Terrain API
A universal API for depth aware devices

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Smart Terrain call flow
SmartTerrainTracker.StartMeshUpdates()
SmartTerrainTracker.StopMeshUpdates()
OnPropUpdated(Prop prop)
OnSurfaceUpdated(SurfaceAbstractBehaviour surfaceBehaviour)
OnPropCreated(Prop prop)
SmartTerrainManager.AssociateProp(PropTemplate, prop)
OnPropDeleted(Prop prop)

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Initialize Smart Terrain
Simulated images

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Initialize Smart Terrain
StartMeshUpdates()

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Build Mesh
Simulated images

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Build Mesh
OnSurfaceUpdated(SurfaceAbstractBehaviour surfaceBehaviour)

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Detect Props
Simulated images

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OnPropUpdated(Prop prop)
Detect Props

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StopMeshUpdates(Prop prop)
Stop Reconstruction

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Smart Terrain call flow
SmartTerrainTracker.StartMeshUpdates()
SmartTerrainTracker.StopMeshUpdates()
OnPropUpdated(Prop prop)
OnSurfaceUpdated(SurfaceAbstractBehaviour surfaceBehaviour)
OnPropCreated(Prop prop)
SmartTerrainManager.AssociateProp(PropTemplate, prop)
OnPropDeleted(Prop prop)

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Creating a Smart
Terrain App in Unity

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