Coursera

Foundations of AR (Coursera)

Offered by Meta,
Foundations of AR (Coursera)

In this course, you will learn the basics of augmented reality (AR). You will focus on where AR fits in the XR spectrum, how AR is used, what AR can do today—and in the future—and the various technologies used for building such experiences. You will also learn about computer vision in AR, the software development lifecycle, and careers in AR development.

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By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • Explain how AR fits into the XR spectrum.
  • Distinguish between AR in social media (Meta Spark), AR on a browser (web AR), and AR in a mobile app (Unity AR).
  • Describe AR’s defining characteristics, affordances, and capabilities.
  • Explain how computer vision relates to AR development.
  • Give an overview of the AR software development lifecycle and production.
  • Describe how AR is used in the marketing, education, gaming and entertainment industries.

To be successful in this course, experience with object oriented programming and basic web development is needed. JavaScript is a plus but not required.

Course 1 of 3 in the Meta Spark Creator AR Certification Prep Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Introduction to AR
What is AR? What value does it bring to people? Why are developers drawn to it? In this module, you'll answer these questions, as well as learn about the XR spectrum, tools used to develop AR, computer vision, and hear about career paths for AR developers.

WEEK 2
AR technologies and capabilities
In this module, you will learn about the different types of AR and how businesses and developers choose the right one. You'll also learn about different pieces of hardware and their capabilities. In addition, you'll learn about the devices and development technologies that AR developers use.

WEEK 3
Computer vision
Learn what computer vision is and how it applies to AR development, as well as ways to use in a project.

WEEK 4
AR software development lifecycle
Learn how the software development cycle factors into how AR developers do their work. You'll also hear about careers in AR development, whether alone or as part of a team. You'll end this course with an exploration of design and accessibility considerations.

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