Creating an Aura

The basis of Aurasma's augmented reality capabilities is giving images, objects, and even locations an Aura. These Aura's allow still objects and images to come to life with video, animations, and more. There are two major steps in creating your first active Aura. The first is to create a trigger image and the second is to create an overlay. The steps listed below, along with the embedded support tutorials, will help you along the process of creating your first active Aura!

Uploading Trigger Images

A trigger image is the picture of the real world object that the Aurasma application scans in order to trigger the experience.

1. In the Ausasma studio, select "trigger images" and a new window will appear.
2. This window is where you can find and upload your image content.
3. Select "Add" and a new smaller window will appear where you can give information about your trigger (name, coordinates if you wish to create a location based Aura, description). You upload your image in the training image bar.

*For additional support or details, or to see this process in action, view the video tutorial created by Aurasma.

Aurasma Tutorial: Uploading Trigger Images

Using the Trigger Masking Tool

The trigger masking tool is helpful because it helps the viewfinder to recognize images as unique and more reliably identify the image for your Aura. It can make a trigger that lacks colors and contrast more successful.

1. Double click the image you uploaded to open it back up.
2. The tools are in a row below the image. These tools include a pointer, an eraser, a rectangle, an ellipse, and a polygon.
2. Grab the shape tool (rectangle, ellipse, or polygon) and block out part of the image.
3. You will see an opacity bar. Scroll down on the opacity bar. This indicates to the viewfinder to ignore this part of the image that lacks recognizable qualities and to focus on the part of the image you wish it to recognize.
4. Even though it appears highlighted or opaque, it will be telling the viewfinder to ignore that area.

Aurasma Tutorial: Trigger Masking Tool

Uploading Overlays

An overlay is a video, still image, 3-D model, or webpage which appears on your mobile device when you scan the trigger image or object in the Aurasma app.

1. First, make sure that you have followed the above processes of uploading a trigger image and using the trigger masking tool as needed.
2. Go to the "overlays" tab.
3. Click the "add" button on the top to add an overlay.
4. Give your overlay a name.
5. You can select the type of overlay (video is the default option, but you can also select image, webpage, or 3-D model).
6. When uploading videos, the file size should be under 100MB and MP4 is a good format to use.
7. You can select "loop video" if you would like your overlay video to continuously loop when activated. Unselect it if you want your video to come to a clear end, or to direct to a webpage following the video.
8. Click "save" and it will take about a minute to load. A preview will appear, and if you are satisfied click "close".

Aurasma Tutorial: Uploading Overlays

Creating Channels

Once you have your triggers and overlays uploaded, you will create a channel which will house your Aura so it is ready to be used! Auras exist in channels, and viewers can subscribe and follow channels in the Aurasma app.

1. Go to the "channels" icon.
2. Click the "add" button on the top.
3. Enter the name for your channel and provide an optional description.
4. By default the privacy option is set to private, however you will need to select public for people to be able to view your Aura.
3. Upload a thumbnail image for your channel.
4. Click "save" and "close".
5. Double click on your channel and another window will appear. Select the second tab for "Auras".
6. Click the add button to create an Aura by connecting trigger images and overlays.