Since the rise of augmented reality (AR), our world has become more engaging and immersive. Nexus Studios, a creative studio based in Los Angeles and London, has taken this technology to the next level with its innovative app, “Hot Stepper.†Not only does the company experiment with ARKit for VR tracking, but it also launched an entertaining application that brings a playful character to life in your real-world environment.
In “Hot Stepper,†a charming and humorous little figure will guide you wherever you go. All you need to do is enter a destination, and the dancer begins his journey, performing light moves and adding some fun to your walk. The app blends cutting-edge AR, positioning, and projection technologies to create an interactive experience that feels both magical and intuitive.
Nexus Studios' interactive art team developed a system that uses GPS coordinates, your phone's inertial measurement unit (IMU), and projection data to accurately place the dancer in your surroundings. This ensures that the character moves naturally and interacts with the real world as if it were part of the scene.
To make the dancer look more realistic, the app uses the camera to reflect the surrounding environment onto the character. This allows dynamic lighting to blend the figure into its surroundings, making it appear more lifelike. Additionally, the app calculates the position of the sun relative to the dancer, ensuring that the shadow is accurate and enhances the illusion of realism.
The “Dance Dancer†app was created using Nexus’s original VLO animation tool, which helped bring the character to life in a virtual reality setting. The design process involved not just visual elements, but also complex algorithms that allow the dancer to navigate correctly through different environments.
Luke Ritchie, head of Nexus Studios’ interactive arts team, shared that the project is part of their ongoing effort to turn real-world data into compelling narratives. “Dance Dancer†represents their latest innovation, blending creativity with technology to deliver an enjoyable and unique experience.
While the app may not be designed for daily navigation, it certainly adds a spark of fun to the otherwise routine act of getting from one place to another. It shows how AR can be used not just for utility, but also for entertainment and engagement.
Currently, “Hot Stepper†is available exclusively on iOS devices running iOS 11 or later. However, an Android version is expected to launch soon, expanding the reach of this creative and interactive experience.
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