8th Wall

8th Wall is a platform that, according to the vendor, enables the creation of immersive WebAR experiences using web technologies. It is designed to cater to businesses of various sizes, from small enterprises to large corporations. The platform is utilized by professionals in different industries, including web developers, AR developers, marketing and advertising professionals, retail and e-commerce industries, as well as entertainment and media industries.

Key Features

AR Engine: According to the vendor, 8th Wall's AR engine is built using standards-compliant JavaScript and WebGL. It is hyper-optimized for real-time AR on mobile browsers and incorporates Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology. The engine offers features such as Six Degrees of Freedom (6-DoF), lighting estimation, instant surface detection, and responsive scale, which the vendor claims allows developers to create dynamic and interactive AR experiences.

Lightship VPS for Web: The vendor states that 8th Wall's Lightship VPS for Web leverages Niantic's AR map of the world. It enables users to anchor WebAR content with centimeter-level precision at locations worldwide. Users can add custom VPS-activated locations or utilize over 100,000 pre-existing VPS-activated locations. This feature provides access to the 3D mesh of a location, enabling occlusion, physics, and greater interactivity between virtual objects and the physical world.

Image Targets: 8th Wall allows users to bring various objects to life using image targets, according to the vendor. Users can upload and manage flat, cylindrical, and conical shaped image targets, which can activate and track web-based augmented reality experiences directly on the target. Combining image targets with World Tracking allows for experiences that seamlessly integrate image targets and markerless tracking.

Face Effects: According to the vendor, 8th Wall enables users to create face filters that work across all devices. It offers the ability to anchor 3D objects such as glasses or jewelry to different face attachment points. The platform provides an easy-to-use component library for rendering face meshes instantly, and users can design custom visual effects using shaders, materials, and video.

Modular Framework: 8th Wall offers a camera application framework that, according to the vendor, seamlessly integrates with computer vision technologies and external libraries. It manages the application lifecycle and orchestrates run loops for high throughput image processing. Users can leverage the framework for functionalities such as people occlusion, machine learning models, and voice recognition, as claimed by the vendor.

Cloud Editor + Built-In Hosting: According to the vendor, 8th Wall provides a cloud-based text editor with developer-friendly features such as auto-complete, an asset viewer, and support for popular frameworks like React and Vue.js. It offers built-in hosting for web applications created using 8th Wall, along with features like instant preview, remote debugging, and external library support.

Collaborate: 8th Wall allows multiple people to collaborate on the same project simultaneously, according to the vendor. Users can review incoming changes, resolve conflicts, and view diffs before finalizing. The platform supports source control for efficient version management and offers team management features along with a commit history view.

Publish: 8th Wall enables instant publishing and rollback of multiple deployment states, as claimed by the vendor. It provides a password-protected staging environment for testing and review purposes. Users can manage deployment settings, global web hosting, and custom domains, while also benefiting from easy sharing options for distributing WebAR experiences.

Support for Popular 3D Frameworks: According to the vendor, 8th Wall supports popular 3D frameworks, allowing developers to leverage their preferred tools. Users can seamlessly integrate their existing 3D frameworks into 8th Wall projects, ensuring compatibility with frameworks like Three.js, A-Frame, Babylon.js, and more.