Tapgaze

Tutorials and Frequently Asked Questions (version 1.0)
Artwork Credit: Natasha Evans @Studio78

Beta Testing Program

Install TestFlight

To install beta testing versions, Apple requires you install their app TestFlight. The TestFlight app is available on the AppStore, open the AppStore and search and download TestFlight and launch it. When asked to login, sign in with any Apple ID that you wish to use. This could be the personal Apple ID on your test device and doesn’t have to match the email address you added into iTunes Connect.

Redeem your App

You will have received an email from Apple inviting you to view the AR App in TestFlight. Click on “View in TestFlight” to redeem your app. This will launch TestFlight and redeem the invitation using the Apple ID currently in use in the TestFlight app. You will then see the AR App preview page, tap on Install.

Note: if for whatever reason clicking on the email View in TestFlight doesn’t open TestFlight, just copy the link and open it in Safari. You’ll see a redemption code you can manually copy and paste directly into the TestFlight app.

Once the AR App is installed you can treat it like any other app. It will have an orange dot near the name of ARTCatalogue to indicate it’s a TestFlight install.

Install an Update

From now on, whenever a new version of this app is available, you’ll see a notification from TestFlight. All you need to do is open Testflight, select the app and tap on update to install the latest version.

Note: The app will not update automatically. This allows you control what version to test. Please finalize any feedback notes/snapshots/videos before you change version as you will not be able to go back a version.

Note: There may be situations when your “outdated” installed version stops functioning if you don’t update. In this case, to maintain an uninterrupted service you are required to update. If this is the case, we will let you know.

You can provide us with feedback via email at info@rendergon.com or open TestFlight.

If the AR App crashes it is instrumental for our progress to receive the crash report.

You will be prompted to send it to us when this happens.

Alternatively please open TestFlight, select the AR App and it will invite you to send us the report.

If for any circumstance an option to send the report is not shown to you, please contact us

Tapgaze Creator

Tapgaze Creator enables the user create, edit and delete artwork in the user’s Catalogue.

The application currently runs on MacOS.

 

To create a new artwork item, Tap Open to select the image. The currently available file formats are png, jpg, jpeg.

The 3D model of the artwork constantly rotates to visualize it to the different anges. Tap on the 3D model to pause or restart its rotation.

Use move controls to inspect 3D artwork.

Use the Update Button to inspect your changes.

Use the Upload Button to upload the painting image and 3D model attributes to your Catalogue.

Note: If an artwork has the same artist and painting name as the one you’re asking to upload, you will be asked to replace the exising artwork in the Catalogue.

Tap on the Retract Button to clear the screen.

Tap on Edit to browser through the Catalogue and select an artwork.

Artwork Smoothness Value: Select the Frame component you wish you adjust at the top (Painting, Frame Border or Frame Matte) and adjust the slider to set its smoothness value.

Change Frame Border or Matte Texture: Select the Frame component you wish to change at the top (Frame Border or Frame Matte) and scroll back and forth to select the texture.

Frameless Artwork: Select “Painting” at the top and swtich Border & Matte Off followed by Update to create a frameless artwork.

You can increase the thickness of the painting by selecting “Backframe” at the top and increasing its size.

To remove frameless features, switch Border & Matte Off again and set your preferred border and matte values.

Texture Color: Select Painting, Frame Border or Matte Border at the top, followed by switching the Color Palette access.

Note: Select WhiteTex as the Border or Matte texture to render the natural color selected on Color Palette.

Frameless Backframe Texture Color: Select Backframe, followed by switching the Color Palette. Then select WhiteTex as BackFrame texture to render the natural color selected on Color Palette.

Please do not maximize the window, your mouse cursor will then not correspond with the location of buttons.

If you maximize the window you can then unmaximize for the tool to work correctly again.

Tapgaze

Only iPhone and iPad devices are currently supported.

iPhone and iPad Supported Device: See bottom of this Apple webpage for the list of AR enabled devices.

iOS System version: Minimum 13.0

After the artwork has been selected it will be shown on the left hand side of the screen in a scrollable menu.

The user interace offers several options to enhace your user AR experience.

Open Artwork Catalogue

Tap to open the full artwork catalogue. The device will syncronize and show you the full catalogue. You can then select the artwork in your AR session.

Vertical Tracking:

Artwork can only be placed and moved along vertical surfaces such as walls.

To move the artwork anywhere on a scanned vertical surface, swipe one finger along the vertical surface.

Important Note: The artwork will not move on surface patches that have not been detected.

Horizontal Tracking:

Artwork can only be placed and moved along horizontal surfaces such as floors and tables. The painting will stand on top of a horizontal surface.

 

This type of tracking can be particularly useful when the camera cannot detect surfaces in low light environments or if vertical surfaces lack feature points (e.g. a pure white wall with no markings can be invisible to the camera).

 

The drawback for this method is that if the distance at which the user estimates the wall to lie is incorrect, the perceived size of the artwork by the user will be erroneous. The user has two possible options to infer the correct distance to a wall:

  • When artwork is placed at a horizontal surface, the device will estimate the distance from the user to the artwork.
  • A second option that may not be available everytime - the user can switch to stop rendering detected surfaces as grids and instead occlude artwork behind detected surfaces, i.e. when a painting is behind a detected vertical surface it will disappear. Please find the "eye" button icon for further details about the occlusion feature.

 

To move the artwork horizontally on scanned horizontal surfaces, swipe one finger along the horizontal surface. To move the artwork vertically (raise it up and down) place two fingers on a painting and swipe up or down.

Snapshots

Your snapshots will be saved in the camera roll of your device.

Lighting

Light intensity affects all artwork.

Detected Surface Render Mode

When the camera detects surfaces, these are shows to the user as fading grids. This enables the user know where artwork can be placed and where further scanning is required to help the camera accurately understand better the physical environment where the user stands and find more surfaces.

The user may also opt to occlude 3D objects behind vertical surfaces by toggling the "eye" icon off. Effectively, when an artwork renders behind a detected vertical surface the artwork will be invisible. This can be a helpful tool in combination with Horizontal Tracking (see icon and description above) or to occlude 3D paintings behind columns or when changing rooms.

Pause or Continue Tracking Surfaces

When tracking is enabled, the camera continues to adjust its understanding of the physical environment where the user stands. This means the location where the device locates horizontal and vertical surfaces may move a little each time the camera detects a new data point.

Therefore placed artwork can move a little but constantly as the surfaces where the artwork is pinned to readjusts. This may not be desirable for a moment to record video or a snapshot. For this purpose, the user can disable tracking.

When tracking is disabled, fading grids will also disable.

Restart AR Session

This option triggers the augmentead reality session to restart. This means all knowledge the mobile device holds about the user's physical environment is destroyed including tracked surfaces. The user is required to re-scan to help the device re-build the physical environment.

This option is useful when the augmented reality system has built an incorrect representation of the physical environment and it negatively impacts the user's AR experience, .e.g. missplaced tracking surfaces.