Techniques for recommending and presenting products in an augmented reality scene
Described herein is an augmented reality application-based service, which facilitates techniques for aiding a first end-user (e.g., a room designer) with the selection and placement of objects (e.g., images of home furnishing and related products) in an augmented reality scene that is being, or has been, generated via a mobile computing device that is remote from the first end-user, such that a second end-user (e.g., a potential consumer) operating the mobile computing device can view objects, in the augmented reality scene, as placed by the first, remote end-user.
1. A computer-implemented method performed by one or more server computers, the method comprising:
receiving and storing information from a mobile computing device executing an augmented reality application, the information including an image of a real-world physical space captured by an image sensor of the mobile computing device, and a data representation of a virtual space corresponding to the real-world physical space, wherein the data representation of the virtual space includes information indicating a position of a virtual camera, within the virtual space, as determined by the mobile computing device using as input obtained from sensors of the mobile computing device, RGB images, depth images, IMU (inertial measurement unit) sampling data, and inferred scene geometry data;
causing the image of the real-world space to be presented in a user interface at a client computing device, the user interface having controls to facilitate overlaying a rendered 3D model of a product on top of the image of the real-world physical space, wherein positioning and orientation of the rendered 3D model of the product overlaid on the image of the real-world physical space generates information indicating the position and orientation of the product relative within the virtual space, and the data representation of the virtual space including information indicating the position of the virtual camera is used to render the 3D model of the product in the user interface at the client computing device;
storing the information for rendering images of the product along with the information indicating the position and orientation of the product relative to the model of virtual space, thereby enabling the stored information to be communicated to the mobile computing device later in time; and
communicating to the mobile computing device executing the augmented reality application information for rendering images of the product along with the information indicating the position of the product relative to the model of virtual space, thereby enabling a 3D representation of the product to be rendered as part of a live augmented reality view of the real-world physical space.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein causing the image of the real-world physical space to be presented in a user interface at a client computing device includes relaying the image of the real-world physical space received from the mobile computing device to the client computing device in real time along with the data representation of the virtual space corresponding to the real-world physical space, for presentation via the user interface at the client computing device.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing a voice or video call session between the mobile computing device and the client computing device, thereby enabling end-users of the respective devices to collaborate via the voice or video call session.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
subsequent to said step of communicating information for rendering images of the product along with the information indicating the position of the product relative to the model of virtual space, i) receiving a voice command from the mobile computing device, the voice command including a request for an alternative product, and ii) processing the voice command by communicating to the mobile computing device executing the augmented reality application information for rendering images of the alternative product.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device executing the augmented reality application from which the information is received is a mobile phone having a touch screen display and one or more accelerometers.