#462: WebXR Augmented Reality Module

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Opened Jan 14, 2020

Hello TAG!

I'm requesting a TAG review of WebXR Augmented Reality Module.

The WebXR Augmented Reality Module extends the WebXR Device API to expose the ability to create a basic augmented reality (AR) session.

Further details:

  • I have reviewed the TAG's API Design Principles
  • Relevant time constraints or deadlines: Chrome will have an Intent to Ship soon for this API.
  • The group where the work on this specification is being done: Immersive Web WG
  • Major unresolved issues with or opposition to this specification: N/A
  • This work is being funded by: N/A

You should also know that...

  • This specification was split from the WebXR specification recently and has been designed as a module/extension.

We'd prefer the TAG provide feedback as (please delete all but the desired option):

🐛 open issues in our GitHub repo for each point of feedback

Discussions

Discussed Jan 13, 2020 (See Github)

David: I guess this isn't the part that has things like pupillary distance and eye tracking.

Kenneth: Seems like this explainer could better explain the use cases.

Assigning Dan (in absentia), David, Hadley, Rossen

Discussed Feb 24, 2020 (See Github)

Dan: this includes some additional features to WebXR to bring AR functionality...

Dan: trade-off between functionality and privacy...

Dan: I will review the s&p self check answers this week

Comment by @atanassov Jan 28, 2021 (See Github)

@torgo and myself did a review pass at this proposal during our "Kronos" VF2F.

We found the answers to the privacy & security considerations section a bit small. This API claims to allow access to the camera image for use in compositing while ensuring the web site doesn't have access to it. This is a very important point to be made explicitly and normatively. The section about why the web site doesn't get access could use such clarity and the requirement ought to be normative (perhaps link to the XR Compositor section).

The terminology section defines types such as opaque, pass through and additive light but it is hard to tie these to real-world scenarios or devices. Which of these defines a phone or computer with camera, headsets etc.? In particular, what is an example of Opaque AR?

Section 2.5 of the spec can benefit greatly from a more complete motivational code example. Also, please clarify the use of the word Content - is this Site Content or Virtual Content?

Comment by @Manishearth Mar 1, 2021 (See Github)

Addressed comments in https://github.com/immersive-web/webxr-ar-module/pull/63

Discussed May 1, 2021 (See Github)

Dan: big PR addressing our comments

Rossen: I like the fact that they demystified categories.... Happy with the privacy statement that they added - strengthening the fact that camera images must not be exposed.

Dan: My proposed closing comment

'Hi @Manishearth we are just coming back to tidy this up at our virtual F2F this week. Thanks for making note of that PR. This looks good to us and we're happy to close on this basis. Thanks for working with us and taking our comments into consideration.'

Dan: done

Comment by @torgo May 11, 2021 (See Github)

Hi @Manishearth we are just coming back to tidy this up at our virtual F2F this week. Thanks for making note of that PR. This looks good to us and we're happy to close on this basis. Thanks for working with us and taking our comments into consideration. ✨