ARToolKit (free with limits)

[Tami]

[url=\"http://www.hitl.washington.edu/artoolkit/\"]ARToolKit[/url] is a software library for building Augmented Reality (AR) applications. These are applications that involve the overlay of virtual imagery on the real world. For example, in the image to the right a three-dimensional virtual character appears standing on a real card. It can be seen by the user in the head set display they are wearing. When the user moves the card, the virtual character moves with it and appears attached to the real object.

One of the key difficulties in developing Augmented Reality applications is the problem of tracking the users viewpoint. In order to know from what viewpoint to draw the virtual imagery, the application needs to know where the user is looking in the real world.

ARToolKit uses computer vision algorithms to solve this problem. The ARToolKit video tracking libraries calculate the real camera position and orientation relative to physical markers in real time. This enables the easy development of a wide range of Augmented Reality applications. Some of the features of ARToolKit include:

* Single camera position/orientation tracking.
* Tracking code that uses simple black squares.
* The ability to use any square marker patterns.
* Easy camera calibration code.
* Fast enough for real time AR applications.
* SGI IRIX, Linux, MacOS and Windows OS distributions.
* Distributed with complete source code.

[url=\"http://www.hitl.washington.edu/artoolkit/documentation/features.htm\"]Complete list of features[/url]

ARToolKit was originally developed by Dr. Hirokazu Kato, and its ongoing development is being supported by the Human Interface Technology Laboratory (HIT Lab) at the University of Washington, HIT Lab NZ at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and ARToolworks, Inc, Seattle.

ARToolKit is made available freely for non-commercial use under the GNU General Public License. Commercial licenses to a professional implementation of ARToolKit are available for users for whom the GPL is not suitable, or who require a higher level of support, or who require customization or other specialist modifictions. Commercial licenses are administered by ARToolworks, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA.

The ARToolKit license model

ARToolKit is made available under a dual-license model. As it has been since the first public release of version 1.0, ARToolKit is freely available for non-commercial use under the terms of the GNU General Public License. A proprietary version of ARToolKit developed in parallel for professional commercial use by ARToolworks, Inc. is made available under different license terms, to suit end-user need.

We believe this model offers the best of both worlds. Persons developing their software under an open source model are freely availed of the ARToolKit source code, and the ARToolKit open source project benefits in return from enhancements, bug reports, and external development ideas. Those persons developing under a proprietary source model, from whom the ARToolKit code base does not benefit through reciprocal openness, contribute financially instead. License fees fund research and development of today's and tomorrow's versions of the ARToolKit through research activities at partner institutions.
The GPL-licensed toolkit.

ARToolKit versions 1.0 through 2.x are available under the GPL. Please read the full text of the GPL prior to downloading and/or using the ARToolKit source code. Your downloading and/or use of the code signifies acceptance of the terms and conditions of the license. If you are unable to comply with the license terms, please immediately destroy all copies of the code in your possession.

Please be aware that while the GPL allows you to freely use the source code, it also imposes certain restrictions on the way in which you can use the code. Your attention is drawn particularly to section 2b of the GPL: "You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties under the terms of this License.", i.e. your software incorporating or linking to ARToolKit must also be open-source software, licensed under the GPL. Use of the ARToolKit in breach of the terms of the GPL will be subject to legal action by the copyright holders.
Licenses for professional and commercial use.

In response to demand from toolkit users, the holders of the copyright on much of the ARToolKit version 1.0 - 2.x code have elected to make this code and other substantially advanced ARToolKit and AR code available under proprietary licenses for professional and commercial use by persons for whom the GPL license is not ideal. These license arrangements are managed by ARToolworks, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA. A variety of license types are available at reasonable cost. Please contact ARToolworks, Inc. directly for information on products, license terms, and pricing.

ARToolworks also provide a variety of value-added services, including professional support, customization and other modifications, and end-user turnkey applications.