Top 10 AR VR Projects for Hands-on Practical Learning

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are cutting-edge technologies that offer innovative solutions in gaming, real estate, education, healthcare, and more. For developers and enthusiasts eager to explore these new technologies, practical work is a good option for gaining knowledge and experience in these industries.

In this article, we are going to discuss the best 10 AR VR projects, divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, to get practical experience in building these amazing projects.

What is AR and VR?

Augmented Reality (AR)

AR or augmented reality places digital content—images, sounds, or 3D models in the real world with the help of a device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or AR glasses. The user can interact with the digital and physical worlds through the superimposed image, producing new experiences or relationships. Thanks to AR and CGI, real-world items can be visualized.

Virtual Reality (VR)

VR or virtual reality immerses the viewer in a virtual world through computer-generated imagery (CGI) and a headset. With VR, the user uses a controller and a headset to interact with a completely virtual environment. By stimulating and deceiving the senses into interacting with the virtual environment as they would with the real one, virtual reality produces a sensory experience.

A more advanced technology requested Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR headsets for the proper VR experience. It covers an entirely immersive user experience. VR creates an alternate reality for gaming, training, or exploration.

AR and VR Technologies merge the real and virtual worlds to create an interactive and engaging environment. Mastering these technologies enables you to acquire skills in 3D models, rendering in real-time, integrating sensors, and even building user experience. Employing these technologies in creating games, educational programs or any other applications is the future, enhancing your career opportunities. Building these projects enables you not only to be technically skilled but also to have the ability to creatively solve problems.

Best AR and VR Projects for Practical Learning

Beginner Level Projects

1. AR Greeting Card

AR greeting cards are simple yet engaging projects where users can scan a physical card to reveal animations, messages, or 3D objects. This project is to get introduced to AR SDKs such as Vuforia or ARKit.

• Skills Developed: Basic understanding of AR markers, Unity integration, and 3D asset management.
• Process: Begin by modeling a 3D animated object, for example, a birthday cake or a festive animation. Then write a Unity program that will enable marker-based AR. That is, scanning a printed card should trigger the appearance of the 3D object. Add sound effects or animation to the scene to make it livelier.
• Applications: Personalized greeting cards for birthdays, anniversaries, or festivals. Businesses can utilize this as part of their interactive marketing materials or educational flashcards for teaching kids.
• Tools Required: Unity, Vuforia SDK, and any 3D modeling software such as Blender.

2. VR Room Tour

This project aims to emulate a virtual room in which a user can navigate within and interact with objects (for example, turning on the light or opening cabinets).

• Skills Developed: Basics of VR Environment Building and Navigation, basic character controller and scripting.
• Process: Use Blender or Maya to create a room as a 3D model and then create a Unity project setting the model as the scene. Set up virtual buttons or keyboard keys for navigation, and add interactive objects such as doors that the user can click and open, furniture that can be moved, or lights that can be turned on and off.
• Applications: A real estate agent can provide a virtual tour of a house. An interior designer can give a virtual tour of his design to the client.
• Tools Required: Unity, Oculus SDK, Blender.

3. Augmented Reality Measuring Tool

With the help of an augmented reality (AR measuring) tool, the user can measure the distance or dimensions of an object using a smartphone camera.

• Skills Developed: Augmented reality interface and distance measuring algorithms, surface detection principles.
• Process: Detect the surfaces in the physical world using ARCore or ARkit. Add a feature that allows the user to touch two points on the surface and the software calculates the distance between those two points using geometry. Calculate the results on the fly as the user moves the camera around.
• Applications: For hobbies, fitting furniture, or just measuring something while improving your house.
• Tools Required: ARCore, ARKit, Unity.

Intermediate Level Projects

1. AR Educational Application

Create an application that incorporates technologies in real life to explain advanced subjects like medicine, space, or chemical studies. For example, people can take a picture of a QR code to see a 3D model of the human heart.

• Skills Developed: Engaging classical AR implementation, continuous updating, and 3D interactivity.
• Process: Develop 3D models for the planets when it comes to astronomy or some organs of the human body for biology. Take these models, and put them into an AR app with the help of Unity and AR SDKs. Skyrocket the overall impression by developing an interactive zoom, rotate, and annotate.
• Applications: Revolutionize the orthodox way of teaching by giving students an easy way to grasp quite challenging subjects. This can be done in schools, colleges, or even at home studying alone.
• Tools Required: Unity, ARKit, Blender, and educational datasets.

2. VR shooting game

A first-person VR game that enables the user to aim and shoot within a virtual world. It can be complex to build, but becomes easier when having foundational knowledge.

• Skills Developed: Physics-based interaction, VR game mechanics, and usage of a controller.
• Process: Start with building a cutout environment in Unity where at various points there are targets. Include shooting targets with the physics engine in Unity. Bring on board VR targets for aiming and shooting. Further, you can set up moving targets or limited rounds to increase difficulty.
• Applications: Good for fun for gaming addicts or so for military or security people as a training gadget.
• Tools Required: Unity, Oculus SDK, physics simulation libraries.

3. AR Navigation App

In this project, we are focusing on the control of an augmented reality (AR) navigation app. The app acquires directional arrows which are overlaid in real environments, and then helps users to navigate in malls, airports, or campuses.

• Skills Developed: Integration of GPS and AR, pathfinding algorithms, and UI/UX designing.
• Process: GPS data is used to triangulate the position of a user relative to maps and coordinates of points of interest, overlay signs arrows, or markers to points of interest shown in the camera image as guidance to the user, Change the user’s direction and update the path dynamically to guide the user where to go as the user moves around.
• Applications: Improvement of user experience in bigger environments such as shopping malls, sports stadiums, or international airports, as well as for outdoor navigation in parks or university campuses.
• Tools Required: ARCore, GPS API, Unity.

Advanced Level Projects

1. VR Multiplayer Game

Create a multiplayer VR game that allows users to communicate with each other via the game and complete various challenges that are held within the multiplayer virtual game.

• Skills Developed: Networking for multiplayer functionality, interaction elements in a multiplayer virtual reality setting, and design of a detailed environment.
• Process: Implement multiplayer game options using Photon Unity Networking (PUN) or other supporting frameworks. Create a multiplayer virtual world with different kinds of tasks for interaction or solving missions. Employ communication between players and many actions performed by the users in real-time.
• Applications: Great for social gaming, team-building activities, and virtual hangs.
• Tools Required: Unity, Photon PUN, Oculus SDK.

2. AR-Based Interior Design App

This app is particularly useful for those who wish to buy an item like furniture or decor for their house.

• Skills Developed: Object placement, spatial mapping, and AR user interface.
• Process: Surface detection using ARCore or ARKit. Develop a feature where furniture items can be selected from the catalog and placed in the user’s realistic environment. Users should be able to resize, rotate, and change the color of the item so that it suits them.
• Applications: Assists users in choosing the best option before buying a specific piece of furniture or making changes in the design of a particular space. Moreover, businesses could utilize it for showcasing their products.
• Tools Required: Unity, AR Core, AR Kit, and 3d modeling software.

3. VR Training Simulator

Develop a simulator for VR which can be used to train how to drive, perform surgery, operate machinery, and other tasks.

• Skills Developed: Realistic simulation, scenario scripting, and interaction fidelity.
• Process: Create a virtual environment with a high level of detail that best resembles the real-life situation. Form mini tasks and goals for users to complete which would assist in gauging the user. Incorporate interactions such as surgical instruments for medical practice simulation or driving controls for driving simulation.
• Applications: It is widely used in corporate training, professional education as well as skill development programs.
• Tools Required: Unity, specific SDKs, and VR devices.

4. AR Multiplayer Game

Design a multiplayer AR game in which a user can touch a virtual object and engage with others in real time.

• Skills Developed: AR networking, real-time interaction, and complex game mechanics.
• Process: A cloud-based backend system can be used to organize multiplayer sessions. Add AR elements that will be visible and alterable by a lot of participants. Create fun challenges or competitions to make users interested in the platform as well.
• Applications: Widely used for playing games, development of teams, or communication in AR space.
• Tools Required: Unity, cloud gaming service, AR SDKs.

Tools and Technologies for AR VR Development

AR SDKs

• ARCore (Android): Provides plane detection, motion tracking, and light estimation to create full AR experiences.
• ARKit (iOS): Provides object detection and spatial mapping for iOS devices.
• Vuforia: Perfect for beginners and advanced projects in AR, supports marker-based and markerless AR.

VR SDKs

• Oculus SDK: Hardware support for Oculus immersive VR development.
• OpenVR: Open-source cross-platform for the development of VR applications that work with several headsets.
• SteamVR: Popular for gaming and interactive VR experiences.

Development Engines

• Unity: Provides a user-friendly interface and powerful tools for AR and VR development.
• Unreal Engine: renowned for its sophisticated rendering capabilities and excellent visuals.

3D Modelling Software

• Blender: Open-source software for creating 3D models and animations.
• Maya and 3ds Max: Advanced tools for detailed 3D modeling and rendering.

Programming Languages

• C#: Essential for Unity development.
• Python: Useful for scripting and automation.
• JavaScript: Widely used in web-based AR and VR projects.

Benefits of Learning AR and VR

• High Demand: Industries like gaming, healthcare, and real estate are increasingly adopting AR and VR, creating a significant demand for skilled developers. By mastering AR and VR, you position yourself as a valuable asset in these evolving industries.
• Innovation Potential: AR and VR are at the forefront of technological innovation, offering limitless opportunities for finding creative solutions and applications.
• Career Opportunities: Ranging from gaming to education, healthcare to retail, AR and VR can fit into many aspects of development, design, and project management.
• Skill Appreciation: Working with AR and VR projects enhances the skills of problem-solving capacity, 3D modeling real-time rendering, and user interaction design.
• Portfolio Development: It is involved in making AR and VR projects since this goes a long way in creating an impressive portfolio that shows off your technical and creative abilities to future employers or clients.

Conclusion

Through Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, entirely new dimensions are being added to communication and ways of interfacing with computers in contemporary society. Engaging in practical work enables you to gain insights into new technologies and new opportunities.

The projects listed in this article complement each other and make it easier for the beginner developer to become more advanced while providing structure for advanced developers. Get professional certification and guidance with Hero Vired’s Certificate Program in Extended Reality (VR+AR) in collaboration with Snapchat and Unreal Engine.