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Swedish artist uses ARKit face-tracking to create fun optical illusion on iPhone X [Video]

A Swedish artist has created a fun app which uses ARKit’s face-tracking and the 3D camera of the iPhone X to create a somewhat spooky-looking optical illusion …

By tracking your eye position, and adjusting the image displayed on the iPhone X screen, Peder Norrby is able to create the illusion that you’re looking down into a three-dimensional hole.

He explained in his original tweet that there are no video effects in use, it’s all done in the app.

As Mashable spotted, he posted a follow-up video (below) explaining how it’s done. The same technique can be used to make objects appear to rise out from the display as well as sink into it.

Norrby used the Unity 3 game engine, and has promised to make both the app and the source code available to anyone who wants to play with it.

He does acknowledge one weakness: the illusion is monoscopic, meaning that when you view the app in real life, you’ll need to close one eye to avoid spoiling the fun.

The app, called The Parallax View, is currently in review in the App Store, so look out for it there.

https://twitter.com/algomystic/status/968840363296378880


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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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