Pokemon Go developer Niantic to open up its AR platform to third-party developers

The occlusion technique helps the Real World Platform make use of machine learning to identify real-world objects and integrate them into the platform.

Niantic has announced that it is letting third-party developers use its augmented reality platform to develop applications. The platform is called the Real World Platform and is the same one that the company makes use off in its Pokemon Go video game. Niantic claims that it has been constantly working towards improving this so-called Real World Platform, to showcase the improvements, the company has released a demo video where it shows a new technique called occlusion.

The occlusion technique helps the Real World Platform make use of machine learning to identify real-world objects and integrate them into the platform to make the applications much more interactive. In the demo video that Niantic showcased, we got to see Pikachu hide behind flower pots and park benches. This technique is an advanced implementation of a machine learning technology that Niantic was able to get from the acquisition of London-based Matrix Mill. The technology creates a neural network which in real time, obscure virtual images behind real-world objects.

Niantic CEO John Hanke at a meeting in San Francisco said that this is just an experimental proof and is yet to be implemented in products. It also showcases what is coming next to the games developed by the studio. However, the company has given no such time frame as to when this technology will be coming to the market.

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In other news, Pokemon Go’s player base is at its highest since the game launched back in 2016 according to a report from a research firm SuperData. The report also states that in May the game generated over $104 million which accounts for a 174 per cent year-over-year revenue growth.