It is now possible for developers to build AR apps for Oculus Quest 2. You can activate the AR mode in SideQuest and start trying out the first AR demos on your own.

Along with Update 31, Facebook also released the passthrough API: this is an interface through which developers can use their black and white video view of their VR headsets for AR experiments and experiences.

Oculus Quest AR Demo
Oculus Quest AR Demo

At first, the passthrough feature looked like a gimmick but it now looks like it will become a standard feature in future generations of the Quest line of headsets. The high-resolution RGB cameras  could show the environment in a completely different way than is possible today, sharp and in color, which will significantly enhance the AR mode in the years to come.

The mixed reality headsets Lynx and Varjo XR-3 work according to the same video transparency principle. Apple’s first VR headset is also said to use video transparency AR.

Activating AR Mode with SideQuest

The latest version of the Quest sideloading app SideQuest provides the possibility of activating the experimental AR mode of the Oculus Quest 2 with a single click. After this, the Augmented Reality apps should run smoothly on VR headsets. The setting is known as “Experimental Mode” and is found in the Tools tab.

The passthrough app category that was introduced on SideQuest currently lists three Augmented Reality apps. The first one is known as “AR Demo” and is a compiled version of Facebook’s passthrough API demo which comes with the interface.

The video below shows what you can accomplish with it such as in manipulating the color of your surroundings and using a virtual flashlight. The developer also added the ability to throw virtual dice into the environment in the demo.

First Commercial AR Apps Coming from End of 2021

The two remaining demos are experimental AR versions of SideQuest games. In the wave shooter Cactus Cowboy AR, for instance, you can shoot away at the robots in your own living room for the first time.

Both the AR mode and the AR apps are still in the early phases. This will, however, change with better technology and more experience on the part of AR developers. According to Facebook, the first Augmented Reality apps should appear in the Oculus Store by the end of the year.

The video below shows the mentioned AR apps in action: –

Sam OchanjiAugmented RealityTechnologyIt is now possible for developers to build AR apps for Oculus Quest 2. You can activate the AR mode in SideQuest and start trying out the first AR demos on your own. Along with Update 31, Facebook also released the passthrough API: this is an interface through which developers...VR, Oculus Rift, and Metaverse News - Cryptocurrency, Adult, Sex, Porn, XXX