Discuss spatial computing on Apple platforms and how to design and build an entirely new universe of apps and games for Apple Vision Pro.

All subtopics
Posts under Spatial Computing topic

Post

Replies

Boosts

Views

Activity

SharePlay on the VisionOS with remote participants.
Hi everyone, I’m building a visualization app for VisionPro that uses SharePlay and GroupActivities to explore datasets collaboratively. I’ve successfully implemented the new SharedWorldAnchor feature, and everything works well with nearby, local participants. However, I’m stuck on one point: How can I share a world anchor with remote participants who join via FaceTime as spatial personas? Apple’s demo app (where multiple users move a plane model around) seems to suggest that this is possible. For context, I’m building an immersive app with Metal rendering. Any guidance or examples would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Jens
2
1
374
Sep ’25
How to search location in global rather than in local?
I'm doing a weather app, users can search locations for getting weather, but the problem is, the results only shows locations in my country, not in global. For example, I'm in China, I can't search New York, it just shows nothing. Here's my code: @Observable class SearchPlaceManager: NSObject { var searchText: String = "" let searchCompleter = MKLocalSearchCompleter() var searchResults: [MKLocalSearchCompletion] = [] override init() { super.init() searchCompleter.resultTypes = .address searchCompleter.delegate = self } @MainActor func seachLocation() { if !searchText.isEmpty { searchCompleter.queryFragment = searchText } } } extension SearchPlaceManager: MKLocalSearchCompleterDelegate { func completerDidUpdateResults(_ completer: MKLocalSearchCompleter) { withAnimation { self.searchResults = completer.results } } } Also, I've tried to set searchCompleter.region = MKCoordinateRegion( center: CLLocationCoordinate2D(latitude: 0, longitude: 0), span: MKCoordinateSpan(latitudeDelta: 180, longitudeDelta: 360) ), but it doesn't work.
2
0
786
Dec ’24
Shared/GroupImmersive Space – Query Local Device Transform
Hi, I am in the process of implementing SharePlay into our app. The shared experience opens an Immersive Space and we set systemCoordinator.configuration.supportsGroupImmersiveSpace = true Now visionOS establishes a shared coordinate space for the immersive space. From the docs: To achieve consistent positioning of RealityKit entities across multiple devices in an immersive space during a SharePlay session There are cases where we want to position content in front of the user (independent of the shared session, and for each user individually). Normally to do that we use the transform retrieved via worldTrackingProvider.queryDeviceAnchor.originFromAnchorTransform to position content in front of the user (plus some Z Offset and smooth interpolation). This works fine in non-SharePlay instances and the device transform is where I would expect it to be but during the FaceTime call deviceAnchor.originFromAnchorTransform seems to use the shared origin of the immersive space and then I end up with a transform that might be offset. Here is a video of the issue in action: https://streamable.com/205r2p The blue rect is place using AnchorEntity(.head, trackingMode: .continuous). This works regardless of the call and the entity is always placed based on the head position. The green rect is adjusted on every frame using the transform I get from worldTrackingProvider.queryDeviceAnchor. As you can see it's offset. Is there any way I can query query this transform locally for the user during a FaceTime call? Also I would like to know if it's possible to disable this automatic entity transform syncing behavior? Setting entity.synchronization = nil results in the entity not showing up at all. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/realitykit/synchronizationcomponent Is SynchronizationComponent only relevant for the legacy MultiPeerConnectivity approach? Thank you!
2
0
278
Oct ’25
Can iOS and visionOS Devices Share the Same Spatial World in a Multiuser AR Session?
Hey everyone, I'm working on an object viewer where users can place objects in a real room using AR, and I want both visionOS (Apple Vision Pro) and iOS devices (iPad, iPhone) to participate in the same shared spatial experience. The idea is that a user with a Vision Pro can place an object, and peers using iPhones/iPads can see the same object in the same position in their AR view. I've looked into ARKit's Shared ARWorldMap and MultipeerConnectivity, but I'm not sure if this extends seamlessly to visionOS or if Apple has an official way to sync spatial data between visionOS and iOS devices. Has anyone tried sharing a spatial world between visionOS and iOS? Are there any built-in frameworks that allow for a shared multiuser AR session across these devices? If not, what would be the best way to sync object positions between them? Would love to hear if anyone has insights or experience with this! 🚀 Thanks!
2
0
531
Mar ’25
ARKit: Keep USDZ node fixed after image tracking is lost (prevent drifting)
0 I’m using ARKit + SceneKit (Swift) with ARWorldTrackingConfiguration and detectionImages to place a 3D object (USDZ via SCNScene(named:)) when a reference image is detected. While the image is tracked, the object stays correctly aligned. Goal: When the tracked image is no longer visible, I want the placed node to remain visible and fixed at its last known pose (no drifting) as I move the camera. What works so far: Detect image → add node → track updates When the image disappears → keep showing the node at its last pose Problem: After the image is no longer tracked, the node drifts as I move the device/camera. It looks like it’s still influenced by the (now unreliable) image anchor or accumulating small world-tracking errors. Question: What’s the correct way in ARKit to “freeze” the node at its last known world transform once ARImageAnchor stops tracking, so it doesn’t drift?
2
0
459
Oct ’25
Multiple-frames BlendShape (failed) Animation in Reality Composer Pro
Goal: To render in an apple vision pro app, the solid-mechanics 3D simulation results coming form an FEA code. Starting point: I have surface vtks with deformations on each node. Each time step has a a mesh with the nodal coordinates. This is straighforward translatable to a usd MeshSequence. Unfortunately, the results cannot be simplified to a scaling o linear transformation as you would do with other game-oriented animations. Tools: Right now, I am using Xcode and reality composer pro (RCP) to build the scenes. Technical limitations: I am aware that RCP can do animations with BlendMesh and skeletons and that MeshSequence is not a problem. Progress: Coverting to the sequence of vtk meshes to a usd MeshSequence is straighforward. This animates correctly in Preview and Blender (see screenshot). I managed to convert from MeshSequence to multiple keys and BlendMesh. This also animates correctly in Blender and preview. Unfortunately, the BlendMesh of multiple blended meshes shows a zero animation time in RCP (see screenshot below) Also, see below usda file scheme for the animation. Of course I am not showing full vectors such as faceVertexCounts, faceVertexIndex, normals. Question: what is the right set up to create a BlendMesh animation that RCP will correctly import and animate, form a set of Meshes or multiple key shapes? Blender animation Time zero RCP "animations" #usda 1.0 ( defaultPrim = "BlendMeshRoot" doc = "Blender v4.5.3 LTS" endTimeCode = 48 framesPerSecond = 24 metersPerUnit = 1 startTimeCode = 0 timeCodesPerSecond = 24 upAxis = "Z" ) def Xform "BlendMeshRoot" ( customData = { dictionary Blender = { bool generated = 1 } } ) { def SkelRoot "Mesh" { custom string userProperties:blender:object_name = "Mesh" float3 xformOp:rotateXYZ = (89.99999, -0, 0) float3 xformOp:scale = (0.009999999, 0.01, 0.01) double3 xformOp:translate = (0, 0, 0) uniform token[] xformOpOrder = ["xformOp:translate", "xformOp:rotateXYZ", "xformOp:scale"] def Mesh "Mesh" ( active = true prepend apiSchemas = ["MaterialBindingAPI", "SkelBindingAPI"] ) { uniform bool doubleSided = 1 float3[] extent = [(25.091871, -34.121277, -13.298501), (299.94482, 245.10088, 202.35126)] int[] faceVertexCounts = [3, 3, ... int[] faceVertexIndices = [0, 10293, ... rel material:binding = </BlendMeshRoot/_materials/MeshSequence_Default> normal3f[] normals = [(-0.3632836, -0.9102419, -0.19870725), .... point3f[] points = [(244.41148, 155.42062, 70.454926),..... float3[] primvars:node_displacement = [(93.54703, 110.9341, 48.37992).... float3[] primvars:Normals = [(-0.0050530406, -0.9910114, -0.13368203),... int[] primvars:skel:jointIndices = [0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ... float[] primvars:skel:jointWeights = [1, 1, 1, 1, 1... uniform token[] skel:blendShapes = ["frame_0000", "frame_0001", "frame_0002", "frame_0003", "frame_0004", "frame_0005"] rel skel:blendShapeTargets = [ </BlendMeshRoot/Mesh/Mesh/frame_0000>, ....... </BlendMeshRoot/Mesh/Mesh/frame_0005>, ] prepend rel skel:skeleton = </BlendMeshRoot/Mesh/Skel> uniform token subdivisionScheme = "none" custom string userProperties:blender:data_name = "Mesh" custom float userProperties:originalTime float userProperties:originalTime.timeSamples = { 0: 0, } def BlendShape "frame_0000" { uniform vector3f[] offsets = [(0, 0, 0), (0, 0, 0),..... uniform int[] pointIndices = [0, 1, 2, ..... } ..... ..... #### BlendShape frame to 0005 ..... def Skeleton "Skel" ( prepend apiSchemas = ["SkelBindingAPI"] ) { uniform matrix4d[] bindTransforms = [( (1, 0, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0, 0), (0, 0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 0, 1) )] uniform token[] joints = ["joint1"] uniform matrix4d[] restTransforms = [( (1, 0, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0, 0), (0, 0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 0, 1) )] prepend rel skel:animationSource = </BlendMeshRoot/Mesh/Skel/Anim> def SkelAnimation "Anim" { uniform token[] blendShapes = ["frame_0000", "frame_0001", "frame_0002", "frame_0003", "frame_0004", "frame_0005"] float[] blendShapeWeights.timeSamples = { 0: [1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], 1: [0.9697085, 0.03029152, 0, 0, 0, 0], 2: [0.88787615, 0.11212383, 0, 0, 0, 0], ..... 46: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0.11212379, 0.8878762], 47: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0.030291557, 0.96970844], 48: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1], } } } } def Scope "_materials" { def Material "MeshSequence_Default" { token outputs:surface.connect = </BlendMeshRoot/_materials/MeshSequence_Default/Principled_BSDF.outputs:surface> custom string userProperties:blender:data_name = "MeshSequence_Default" def Shader "Principled_BSDF" { uniform token info:id = "UsdPreviewSurface" float inputs:clearcoat = 0 float inputs:clearcoatRoughness = 0.03 color3f inputs:diffuseColor = (0.8, 0.4, 0.3) float inputs:ior = 1.5 float inputs:metallic = 0 float inputs:opacity = 1 float inputs:roughness = 0.5 float inputs:specular = 0.2 token outputs:surface } } } def Scope "AnimationClips" { custom rel animations = </BlendMeshRoot/Mesh/Skel/Anim> } def RealityKitComponent "AnimationLibrary" { custom rel animations = </BlendMeshRoot/Mesh/Skel/Anim> custom token info:id = "RealityKit.AnimationLibrary" custom double realitykit:approximateDuration = 2 custom double[] realitykit:clipDurations = [2] custom string[] realitykit:clipNames = ["Anim"] custom rel realitykit:clipTargets = </BlendMeshRoot/Mesh/Skel/Anim> custom double realitykit:frameRate = 24 custom bool realitykit:isAnimationLibrary = 1 } }
2
1
383
Oct ’25
Volumetric window not sharing in SharePlay session for VisionOS
I've been struggling with this for far too long so I've decided to finally come here and see if anyone can point me to the documentation that I'm missing. I'm sure it's something so simple but I just can't figure it out. I can SharePlay our test app with my brother (device to device) but when I open a volumetric window, it says "not shared" under it. I assume this will likely fix the video sharing problem we have as well. Everything else works so smooth but SharePlay has just been such a struggle for me. It's the last piece to the puzzle before we can put it on the App Store.
2
0
124
Sep ’25
How to get the floor plane with Spatial Tracking Session and Anchor Entity
In the WWDC session titled "Deep dive into volumes and immersive spaces", the developers discussed adding a Spatial Tracking Session and an Anchor Entity to detect the floor. They then glossed over some important details. They added a spatial tap gesture to let the user place content relative to the floor anchor, but they left a lot of information. .gesture( SpatialTapGesture( coordinateSpace: .immersiveSpace ) .targetedToAnyEntity() .onEnded { value in handleTapOnFloor(value: value) } ) My understanding is that an entity has to have input and collision components for gestures like this to work. How can we add a collision to an AnchorEntity when we don't know its size or shape? I've been trying for days to understand what is happening here and I just don't get it. It is even more frustrating that the example project that Apple released does not contain any of these features. I would like to be able Detect the floor plane Get the position/transform of the floor plane Add a collider to the floor plane Enable collisions and physics on the floor plane Enable gestures on the floor plane It seems to me that the Anchor Entity is placed as an entirely arbitrary position. It has absolutely no relationship to the rectangle with the floor label that I can see in the Xcode visualization. It is just a point, not a plane or rect that I can use. I've tried manually calculating the collision shape after the anchor is detected, but nothing that I have tried works. I can't tap on the floor with gestures. I can't drop entities onto the floor. I can't seem to do ANYTHING at all with this floor anchor other than place entity at the totally arbitrary location somewhere on the floor. Is there anyway at all with Spatial Tracking Session and Anchor Entity to get the actual plane that was detected? struct FloorExample: View { @State var trackingSession: SpatialTrackingSession = SpatialTrackingSession() @State var subject: Entity? @State var floor: AnchorEntity? var body: some View { RealityView { content, attachments in let session = SpatialTrackingSession() let configuration = SpatialTrackingSession.Configuration(tracking: [.plane]) _ = await session.run(configuration) self.trackingSession = session let floorAnchor = AnchorEntity(.plane(.horizontal, classification: .floor, minimumBounds: SIMD2(x: 0.1, y: 0.1))) floorAnchor.anchoring.physicsSimulation = .none floorAnchor.name = "FloorAnchorEntity" floorAnchor.components.set(InputTargetComponent()) floorAnchor.components.set(CollisionComponent(shapes: .init())) content.add(floorAnchor) self.floor = floorAnchor // This is just here to let me see where visinoOS decided to "place" the floor anchor. let floorPlaced = ModelEntity( mesh: .generateSphere(radius: 0.1), materials: [SimpleMaterial(color: .black, isMetallic: false)]) floorAnchor.addChild(floorPlaced) if let scene = try? await Entity(named: "AnchorLabsFloor", in: realityKitContentBundle) { content.add(scene) if let subject = scene.findEntity(named: "StepSphereRed") { self.subject = subject } // I can see when the anchor is added _ = content.subscribe(to: SceneEvents.AnchoredStateChanged.self) { event in event.anchor.generateCollisionShapes(recursive: true) // this doesn't seem to work print("**anchor changed** \(event)") print("**anchor** \(event.anchor)") } // place the reset button near the user if let panel = attachments.entity(for: "Panel") { panel.position = [0, 1, -0.5] content.add(panel) } } } update: { content, attachments in } attachments: { Attachment(id: "Panel", { Button(action: { print("**button pressed**") if let subject = self.subject { subject.position = [-0.5, 1.5, -1.5] // Remove the physics body and assign a new one - hack to remove momentum if let physics = subject.components[PhysicsBodyComponent.self] { subject.components.remove(PhysicsBodyComponent.self) subject.components.set(physics) } } }, label: { Text("Reset Sphere") }) }) } } }
2
0
827
Jan ’25
Reading Imagefiles outside of app content
Hi there. Thanks to amazing help from you guys, I've managed to code a 360 image carousel, where the user can browse 360 images located inside the project package. Is there a way to access the filesystem on AVP outside the app? I know about the FileManager, and I can get access to the .documentsDirectory, but how do I access documents folder from the "Files" app on the AVP? My goal is to read images from a hardcoded folderlocation on the AVP, such that the user never will have to select the images themselves. I know this may not be the "right" way to do this. The app is supposed to be "foolproof" with a minimum of userinteraction. The only way to change the images should be to change the contents of the hardcoded imagefolder. I hope this makes sense =) Thanks in advance! Regards, Kim
2
0
275
Feb ’25
Apply mesh to real world people.
As far as I know, Apple hasn’t opened access to the Vision Pro camera for developers yet, so I’m trying to find possible workarounds within the current capabilities. I’m wondering if there’s any way to apply a mesh to a person in the scene in Vision Pro, or if there’s an alternative approach to roughly detect a human shape in front of the user?
2
0
99
Apr ’25
TextComponent on iOS/macOS pixelated when viewed from short distance
Hello, I've been tinkering a bit with TextComponent. Based on the docs it seems like this component should always render sharp and nice text, no matter how close the user gets: RealityKit dynamically adjusts the backing size to a value that results in high-fidelity text at its current location. And it does on visionOS, but on iOS and macOS the text gets pixelated when I get close to it, as if its just rendering it once as a plain image texture. Can anyone tell me if this is expected behavior or a bug? Here two screenshots for comparison (iPhone and Vision Pro): Thanks!
2
2
117
Aug ’25
Ornaments in Presentations
We can add ornaments to popovers shown by PresentationComponent, but I’m not sure if we should. While working on the editor for entities in a Volume-based app, I had the idea to add ornaments to the presented views. The entire app exists inside a volume. A user can tap a item to present a popoverUI to edit it. This is displayed using the new PresentationComponent in visionOS 26. Ornaments have a new attachment anchor option this year: .parent(). .ornament(attachmentAnchor: .parent(.top), ornament: {...}) This works well in the Simulator. We can add ornaments around this popover view just like we would with a window. Unfortunately, when I run this on device I get a different experience. Any part of the ornament that overlaps with the popover content isn’t rendered correctly. Sometimes it entirely disappears, other times it becomes partially transparent. We could use content alignment to try to make sure the ornament doesn’t overlap the popover content. .ornament(attachmentAnchor: .parent(.top), contentAlignment: .bottom, ornament: {...}) This works sometimes–but not all the time. It’s not clear if this is a bug or not, because I’m not sure if we are even supposed to be able to use ornaments in this way. Here is my hierarchy: An app opens as a Volume Volume presenting a RealityView, with its own ornament using .scene() anchor Multiple Entities with Presentation Component show an edit view The view uses .parent() anchor to add ornaments. What makes me unsure is that other methods for drawing UI in RealityView don’t seem to work with ornaments. For example, if I add an attachment to show a view with the ornament–even when I use the .parent() anchor–the ornament is anchor to the volume, not the attachment view. So what do we think? Is this a rendering bug? Are ornaments intended to work with attachments and presentations?
2
0
352
Aug ’25
How to create a MultiplayerDelegate and use TabletopNetworkSession features?
When building a multiplayer Tabletop game, the documentation includes how to attach a custom TabletopNetworkSessionCoordinator, which could be used in addition to TabletopGame.MultiplayerDelegate. But so far, we have been unable to create these types of custom coordinators or have a delegate that works. Our current setup with our generic GroupActivity works by sending the session to TabletopGame's coordinateWithSession method (like in the current sample project), but we didn't find a way to access and control, for example, the arbiter, seats, player events, among other features mentioned on https://developer.apple.com/documentation/tabletopkit/tabletopnetworksession. Is correct to expect having access to the participants, messenger, or journal without having to maintain a parallel coordinator?   possibly we are missing something here; any suggestions?
2
0
235
Apr ’25
Is it possible to live render CMTaggedBuffer / MV-HEVC frames in visionOS?
Hey all, I'm working on a visionOS app that captures live frames from the left and right cameras of Apple Vision Pro using cameraFrame.sample(for: .left/.right). Apple provides documentation on encoding side-by-side frames into MV-HEVC spatial video using CMTaggedBuffer: Converting Side-by-Side 3D Video to MV-HEVC My question: Is there any way to render tagged frames (e.g. CMTaggedBuffer with .stereoView(.leftEye/.rightEye)) live, directly to a surface in RealityKit or Metal, without saving them to a file? I’d like to create a true stereoscopic (spatial) live video preview, not just render two images side-by-side. Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated!
2
0
246
Aug ’25