Pixotope launches AR mobile app

Broadcast Tech can reveal that Pixotope has launched Pixotope Pocket, an app that allows users to create AR scenes with just a mobile phone and PC. 

Launching at the Media Production & Technology Show tomorrow, 10 May, the app will first be available on iOS and later on Android devices. The UK’s largest event for the broadcast media, production, and technology industry, MPTS will take place at Olympia London, 10-11 May, and you can register to attend here.

Pixotope Pocket will be available as part of the Pixotope Education Program, which was launched last year. It has been tested with a group of students at program partner the University of Gloucestershire, which joined the program in December and aims to eventually create a Virtual Production Master’s course. The app aims to allow students to experiment with augmented reality and virtual studio tools and workflows with their own devices.

Users can use the camera of their mobile phone to shoot footage while Pixotope Pocket takes care of the camera tracking. It does this by combining device motion tracking, camera scene capture, and advanced scene processing, with only one phone camera necessary. Video and tracking data are then transmitted via SRT stream through a local network to the local machine that has Pixotope Graphics installed, where users can create augmented reality scenes or virtual studios.

Pixotope Education Program manager, Carina Schoo, said: “The introduction of Pixotope Pocket represents the next evolution of the Pixotope Education Program. While we’ve made great strides in addressing the virtual production skills gap, we knew the technology could be made even more accessible to aspiring creators. The first step was to provide students access to our platform via their media facilities through the Pixotope Education Program. With Pixotope Pocket we are taking this one step further.”

Pixotope chief revenue officer, David Dowling, added: “The virtual production skills gap is often cited as one of the main barriers to adoption. This is because getting the technology into the hands of tomorrow’s creatives has historically been cost and resource-prohibitive. Pixotope Pocket addresses that head on and makes the technology even easier to access and use. The result is an exponential increase in opportunities for students to hone their skills outside of their school’s media production labs.”

Anne Dawson, head of the school of creative industries at the University of Gloucestershire, commented: “In order for our students to succeed in their careers they need to be able to understand technology, whether they’re using it themselves or commissioning someone else to use it. It’s very important that we partner with leaders in the industry, like Pixotope, to make the technology more accessible and help our students achieve this understanding.”