AR OnChain

Project Overview: Decentralized AR Filters Platform

1. Introduction This project aims to develop a decentralized platform where users can create, mint, and use Augmented Reality (AR) filters. Unlike traditional AR platforms tied to centralized social media apps, this platform will operate on decentralized principles, allowing users to fully own and control their AR creations. The platform will leverage blockchain technology to tokenize AR filters as NFTs, enabling creators to monetize their work while ensuring users have verifiable ownership of the digital assets they use.

2. Key Components of the Project

Custom AR Filter Development: Technology Stack: The AR filters will be developed using web-based technologies such as Three.js, WebGL, and A-Frame. These technologies allow for the creation of interactive and immersive 3D experiences directly within web browsers, ensuring accessibility across different devices without the need for native applications. Design Tools: Creators will use tools like Blender for 3D modeling and custom JavaScript code to build AR effects. These assets will be integrated into the platform, allowing users to apply them to real-world environments through their device cameras.

NFT Integration: Smart Contracts: The AR filters will be tokenized as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) on the blockchain. Each AR filter NFT will be compliant with standards like ERC-721 or ERC-1155, ensuring they can be owned, transferred, and traded within the decentralized ecosystem. Metadata and Storage: Each AR filter NFT will contain metadata that points to the AR assets stored on decentralized storage solutions such as IPFS or Arweave. This ensures that the digital assets are secure, tamper-proof, and always accessible.

Decentralized Marketplace: Marketplace Interface: The platform will feature a decentralized marketplace where creators can list their AR filters for sale. Users can browse, purchase, and trade AR filters, with all transactions recorded on the blockchain to ensure transparency and security. Royalties and Licensing: Smart contracts will be used to enforce royalty payments, ensuring that creators receive a percentage of sales whenever their AR filters are resold. Licensing options can also be embedded within the NFTs, allowing creators to set usage rights and restrictions.

User Interface and Experience: Web Application: A user-friendly web application will be developed using frameworks like React and Next.js. The app will allow users to explore available AR filters, view detailed previews, and purchase filters through a decentralized marketplace. AR Viewer: An integrated AR viewer will enable users to experience the filters in real-time. This feature will be browser-based, allowing users to apply filters using their device cameras without needing to download any additional software.

Blockchain Integration: Ethereum or Polygon Network: The platform will utilize a blockchain network like Ethereum or Polygon for minting and managing AR filter NFTs. Polygon may be preferred for its lower transaction costs and faster processing times, which are crucial for ensuring a smooth user experience. Decentralized Identity and Ownership: Users' AR filters and their ownership will be securely recorded on the blockchain, ensuring that each user's assets are unique and verifiable. Decentralized identity solutions can also be integrated to enhance user privacy and control.

Monetization and Incentives: Creator Monetization: Creators will earn revenue through the sale of their AR filters on the platform. Additionally, they can earn royalties from secondary sales, providing ongoing income from their creations. User Incentives: Users can be incentivized to engage with the platform through token rewards, exclusive AR filter drops, or gamified experiences that reward exploration and creativity.

Decentralized Storage: IPFS/Arweave Integration: All AR assets and metadata will be stored on decentralized storage networks like IPFS or Arweave. This ensures that the content is resilient, secure, and accessible, even if parts of the platform are offline.

Community and Collaboration: Open Source Development: The platform will be open-source, encouraging developers and creators to contribute to its growth and improvement. Community-driven development can lead to new features, enhanced security, and broader adoption. Collaboration Opportunities: The platform can facilitate collaborations between creators, allowing them to co-create AR filters and share in the revenue generated from their sales.

1. Use Cases and Applications

Digital Fashion: Users can apply AR filters to see how digital clothing or accessories look in real life. This can be used in virtual fashion shows or as a try-before-you-buy feature in online retail. Virtual Art Galleries: Artists can create AR filters that overlay digital art in real-world spaces, offering a new way to experience and interact with art. Interactive Marketing: Brands can use AR filters as part of their marketing campaigns, allowing users to engage with products in an immersive way, such as virtually "trying on" a product or seeing it in their environment. Virtual Events: During virtual or hybrid events, AR filters can be used to enhance the experience by adding interactive elements that participants can engage with from anywhere.

1. Technical Challenges and Considerations

Scalability: Ensuring that the platform can handle a large number of users and transactions without performance degradation. Interoperability: Making sure that the AR filters can be used across different devices and platforms, providing a seamless experience for all users. Security: Protecting user data, ensuring the integrity of the AR assets, and safeguarding against unauthorized use or duplication of the filters. User Experience: Creating an intuitive and accessible interface that makes it easy for both creators and users to navigate the platform and utilize its features.

1. Roadmap

Phase 1: Development and Alpha Testing Develop the core platform features, including AR filter creation, NFT minting, and the decentralized marketplace. Conduct alpha testing with a select group of creators and users to gather feedback and refine the platform.

Phase 2: Public Launch Launch the platform publicly, with a focus on onboarding creators and building a diverse library of AR filters. Implement marketing strategies to attract users and grow the platform's community.

Phase 3: Expansion and Partnerships Expand the platform's features, such as integrating more advanced AR tools, adding support for additional blockchain networks, and launching mobile applications. Form partnerships with brands, artists, and developers to drive further adoption and collaboration.

Phase 4: Continuous Improvement Continuously improve the platform based on user feedback, market trends, and technological advancements. Explore additional use cases and applications, such as integrating with other decentralized platforms or enabling cross-platform AR experiences.

Conclusion This project aims to revolutionize how AR filters are created, owned, and used by embracing decentralization. By providing a platform where creators can fully monetize their work and users can interact with AR content in a decentralized and secure manner, it will open up new possibilities for digital interaction and creativity. The decentralized approach ensures that users have complete control over their digital assets, aligning with the principles of Web3 and the future of the internet.

The platform was built using a combination of advanced web technologies and blockchain integration to create a seamless and decentralized experience for users. Here’s a detailed explanation of how the project was constructed:

1. Technology Stack

Web Technologies: The core of the AR filters was developed using Three.js, WebGL, and A-Frame. These tools were chosen for their ability to render complex 3D graphics directly in web browsers, enabling WebAR experiences without requiring users to download additional software. Three.js provided the foundation for 3D rendering, while A-Frame offered a simpler, HTML-like syntax for building AR scenes.

Blockchain Integration: The AR filters were tokenized as NFTs using smart contracts deployed on a blockchain network. The smart contracts were written in Solidity and adhered to the ERC-721 and ERC-1155 standards, allowing both single-edition and multi-edition AR filters to be created and traded. This integration ensured that users could own, transfer, and sell AR filters in a decentralized manner, with all transactions recorded securely on the blockchain.

Decentralized Storage: To store AR filter assets and metadata, IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) was used as the primary decentralized storage solution. IPFS allows content to be distributed across a peer-to-peer network, ensuring that AR assets are resilient, tamper-proof, and always accessible. The metadata for each AR filter includes a URI pointing to its associated files on IPFS, ensuring the assets' integrity and accessibility.

Frontend Development: The frontend of the platform was built using React and Next.js. React provided a component-based architecture that made it easy to manage complex UI elements for browsing and interacting with AR filters. Next.js was chosen for its server-side rendering capabilities, which improved the platform’s performance and SEO. Web3.js was integrated to handle interactions with the blockchain, allowing users to connect their wallets, mint NFTs, and view their owned assets.

Marketplace and Smart Contract Interaction: A decentralized marketplace was created where users could buy, sell, and trade AR filters. The marketplace was powered by smart contracts that handled all transactions, ensuring transparency and security. Custom logic was implemented within the smart contracts to allow flexible royalty settings and licensing options, enabling creators to control how their filters are used and monetized.

1. Partner Technologies

IPFS: IPFS played a crucial role in providing decentralized storage for AR assets. By using IPFS, we ensured that content is always accessible, even if parts of the network go down, and that users can trust the integrity of the digital assets they interact with.

1. Hacky and Notable Solutions

Real-Time AR Previews: One of the more innovative aspects of the project was implementing real-time AR previews within the browser. This was achieved by leveraging WebGL’s capabilities to render 3D models directly onto video streams captured from users’ device cameras. To optimize performance, lazy loading was implemented for AR assets, and GPU acceleration was used where possible to ensure smooth rendering, even on lower-end devices.

Custom Royalty and Licensing Logic: A custom smart contract module was developed to allow creators to set flexible royalty rates and licensing terms for their AR filters. This module integrates seamlessly with the existing NFT standards, enabling creators to define specific usage rights, such as commercial use or duration-based licenses. Implementing this feature was challenging but provides a powerful tool for creators to monetize their work in diverse ways.

Decentralized Identity and Ownership: To enhance user privacy and control, decentralized identity solutions were integrated into the platform. This allows users to prove ownership of their AR filters without revealing personal information. Zero-knowledge proofs and decentralized identity standards like DID (Decentralized Identifiers) were used to ensure users maintain full control over their digital identities while interacting with the platform.

1. Conclusion

The project was designed to create a decentralized platform for AR experiences, combining cutting-edge web technologies with blockchain and decentralized storage. By focusing on user control, transparency, and seamless interaction, the platform provides a future-oriented solution for digital creativity and ownership. The innovative solutions developed during the project, such as real-time AR previews and custom royalty logic, contribute to a robust and scalable platform that aligns with the principles of decentralization and Web3.