Overview

Unity Developers partnered with SAP and global experiential marketing agency Momentum Worldwide to create an engaging, immersive AR experience showcasing the capabilities of SAP’s connected technologies. The project focused on the SAP Arena, a digitally optimized sports and entertainment venue, and aimed to offer users a deeper understanding of the arena’s high-tech infrastructure through an interactive 3D AR model. The result was an augmented reality application for Android and iOS that highlighted SAP’s technological impact on real-time data insights, financial management, and productivity enhancement.

Built with ARKit, ARCore, and Unity, the app brought SAP Arena to life in an interactive format, enabling users to visualize the arena’s operations and SAP’s value proposition in a dynamic, educational way. Unity Developers took on the complete AR app development, from 3D modeling and animation to handling performance and compatibility for diverse mobile devices.

Goals

The primary goal of the SAP Arena AR app was to make complex technological concepts accessible and engaging. By illustrating SAP’s advanced analytics and infrastructure systems in an interactive 3D model, the app offered a new level of understanding to SAP’s audience, particularly for those less familiar with the intricacies of connected technologies.

The application needed to:

•Illustrate the core technologies behind SAP’s analytics in a visually compelling and easily understandable way.

•Run smoothly on a range of mobile devices, including less powerful models.

•Deliver an educational experience without sacrificing visual quality or interactivity.

The result was an app that not only met these objectives but exceeded expectations, offering a new way to engage with SAP’s brand and product offerings through immersive technology.

Challenges and Solutions

1. Performance Optimization for Weaker Mobile Devices

One of the biggest challenges in developing the SAP Arena AR experience was ensuring smooth performance across a wide range of mobile devices, particularly lower-end models. AR applications with high-quality 3D content often require substantial processing power, which can strain the resources of weaker devices.

Solution: To address this, Unity Developers applied advanced optimization techniques within Unity, carefully balancing visual fidelity and processing requirements. We used level-of-detail (LOD) scaling to reduce the complexity of models when viewed from a distance and implemented optimized shaders to lower the computational load without compromising the overall visual quality. Additionally, selective rendering techniques were employed to display only the necessary assets based on the user’s interactions, helping to maintain fluidity on weaker devices.

2. Real-Time Dynamic Lighting

The AR experience’s goal was to present SAP Arena as a vibrant, real-world environment, which required dynamic lighting to simulate real-time changes and improve immersion. However, dynamic lighting can be resource-intensive, presenting a challenge for mobile performance.

Solution: To strike a balance, we leveraged Unity’s baked lighting techniques for parts of the environment where lighting changes were not essential. For areas requiring real-time lighting, we optimized the rendering pipeline to use simplified lighting models. Our team also explored hybrid lighting solutions that combined static baked lights with limited dynamic lighting effects in key areas, giving the illusion of a fully dynamic environment without the associated performance hit.

3. Delivering Educational Content Seamlessly

The application needed to effectively convey a substantial amount of information about SAP’s connected technologies, including financial data management, productivity enhancements, and operational insights. Translating complex information into easily digestible AR interactions required a carefully structured content approach.

Solution: Unity Developers worked closely with SAP and Momentum Worldwide to design an intuitive user interface with interactive hotspots strategically placed around the virtual arena. Each hotspot revealed key information in digestible formats, such as animations and brief text descriptions, allowing users to explore at their own pace. The hotspots were organized in layers, enabling users to delve deeper into specific areas of interest, such as real-time financial analytics or productivity tools, making the educational journey engaging rather than overwhelming.

The Outcome

The SAP Arena AR application achieved all its intended goals, providing SAP’s audience with an innovative and accessible way to engage with the company’s connected technologies. Users could visualize real-time data flow within the arena, understand SAP’s analytics solutions in context, and explore how these technologies contribute to enhanced productivity and efficiency in real-life scenarios.

Feedback from SAP, Momentum Worldwide, and end-users was overwhelmingly positive. The app not only strengthened SAP’s position as a leader in connected technology but also set a new standard for educational engagement through AR. The immersive experience resonated particularly well with SAP’s target audience, who appreciated the clarity and interactivity provided by the AR format.

Why Choose Unity Developers for AR Solutions?

This project highlights Unity Developers’ ability to bring complex concepts to life through cutting-edge AR solutions. From optimizing performance on diverse devices to creating a visually compelling, interactive experience, our team demonstrated expertise at every stage of development. If your business is looking to leverage AR, VR, or immersive technology to engage, educate, or inform, Unity Developers has the experience and technical proficiency to make it a success.

Visit Unity Developers to learn more about how we can support your next AR project. Whether you’re aiming to educate, entertain, or innovate, we’ll provide the immersive solution that meets your needs.