March 2020 Summaries

In this article, we learn how to build an Android app that uses ARCore and video chat to create an interactive remote assistance experience. The app allows users to join a channel as a streamer or audience, with the streamer broadcasting their rear camera to the audience. The audience can draw on their own device and have the touch input rendered in augmented reality in the streamer's world. We go through setting up the project, integrating SDKs, creating user interfaces, enabling ARCore, setting up video calls for both users, and implementing a remote assistance feature that allows the audience to interact with the streamer's AR world by drawing on their own device. The final result is an app that enables seamless remote support through augmented reality and video chat.

The annual AllThingsRTC event, a gathering for tech developers, customers, partners, and RTC enthusiasts, has been postponed from its original date in March to August 27, 2020 due to concerns around COVID-19. To keep the excitement going, Agora will launch a virtual fireside chat called V-chat @AllThingsRTC featuring guest speakers and interactive RTC digital series. The first video podcast will feature Airmeet from the Agora for Startups program. Registration for the conference will open soon.

In this tutorial, a custom AI model is trained using IBM Watson to detect "hot dog" or "not hot dog" within a live camera view. The author uses augmented reality to display the result to the user and adds a live streaming component to make it more interactive. The prerequisites for this project include basic understanding of Swift, ARKit, CoreML, AIAgora Developer Account, and IBM Cloud Account with Watson Studio. The AI model is trained using images sourced from Google Images Download script and then integrated into an iOS app built using Xcode.

Agora, a real-time engagement platform, is offering resources and support for businesses and educational institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company's Software-Defined Real-time Network (SD-RTN™) has been tested during high traffic times and has successfully managed increased demand. To help maintain operations, Agora is providing an online classroom application to support remote learning needs, as well as resources for developers looking to build reliable video conferencing apps. The company's commitment includes a global task force dedicated to ensuring maximum reliability and zero downtime amid any usage spikes.

Agora, a real-time engagement platform, attended Developer Week SF 2020 as a sponsor, raising awareness of its services within the developer community. The company's Dev Evangelists hosted an Agora Hackathon alongside the regular DevWeek Hackathon, with winners developing innovative solutions using the Agora SDK. The event featured over 190 speaker sessions and ongoing workshops, attracting a diverse range of attendees from various industries. Agora met with more than 400 people at the event, discussing potential applications of its platform in different sectors.