Assistant Professor
Developing AR/VR/MR/XR Apps with WebXR, Unity & Unreal
What You'll Learn
- Create basic and immersive VR scenes in WebXR or Unity.
- Create marker-based and marker-less AR scenes in WebXR or Unity.
- Understand fundamental concepts and techniques for advanced XR applications.
- Develop XR applications with ethics, accessibility, and privacy in mind.
4 Modules
32 Hours
8 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Developing AR/VR/MR/XR Apps with WebXR, Unity & Unreal
This third course in the XR for Everybody specialization is geared toward the technical development of XR experiences. The course provides learners with a more technical mental model of XR technologies and the tools to approach XR development with confidence. It walks through the stages of development for both VR and AR projects, introducing the main XR development platforms as well as the key methods and tools. This third course also helps learners infer advanced XR requirements from physical/digital prototypes and teaches them how to differentiate major technical concerns, estimate development costs, and plan research necessary to advance XR.
This course also has an honors track that guides learners in the implementation of 3D, VR, and AR scenes in WebXR using A-Frame and in Unity, and helps them generate a development plan with clear milestones and deliverables.
Skills You'll Gain
- ARCore
- Prototyping
- SteamVR
- Virtual Reality
- Web Development
- WebXR
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Developing AR/VR/MR/XR Apps with WebXR, Unity & Unreal is the final course in the Extended Reality for Everybody specialization. Learners with prior programming experience build immersive XR applications using modern development tools and workflows, exploring 3D scenes, virtual and augmented reality experiences, and emerging XR topics through hands-on development and critique.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: XR Development Approaches
- Reading: Welcome!
- Video: Meet Your Instructor
- Reading: About You
- Video: Course Overview
- Reading: Course Summary & Outlook
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Reading: Accessibility Statement
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself
- Reading: Module 1 of 4: XR Development Approaches
- Reading: Intro to XR Development
- Video: XR Development Approach (Part 1)
- Video: XR Development Approach (Part 2)
- Reading: Paths to Being an XR Creator
- Discussion Prompt: How Do You See Yourself?
- Video: WebXR vs. Unity vs. Unreal
- Reading: Discussion and Help Forums
- Reading: XR Platforms and Toolkits
- Video: Building Your XR Development Toolbox
- Discussion Prompt: What Makes A Good Toolkit
- Reading: Why 3D Is Hard
- Video: The Jump from 2D to 3D (Part 1)
- Video: The Jump from 2D to 3D (Part 2)
- Reading: How to Use the Gallery Tool
- App Item: Discussion of 3D Scenes
- Reading: First Steps in WebXR with A-Frame, Unity, and Unreal
- Video: First Steps in WebXR
- Video: First Steps in Unity
- Video: First Steps in Unreal
- Discussion Prompt: How to Get Started
- Reading: Your First Quiz
- Video: Welcome to the Honors Track
- Reading: NEW! Office Hours & YouTube Playlist
- Video: Your 3D Scene
- Reading: Assignment 1: 3D Scene
- Reading: How to Submit to the Gallery Tool
- Video: Office Hour: AR/VR with A-Frame
Module 2: Developing VR Applications
- Reading: Module 2 of 4: Developing VR Applications
- Video: Designing a Virtual Reality (Part 1)
- Video: Designing a Virtual Reality (Part 2)
- App Item: Discussion of VR Scenes
- Video: VR Design Case Study
- Video: Interview with Kara Dailey
- Video: Menus & Navigation in VR (Part 1)
- Video: Menus & Navigation in VR (Part 2)
- Video: Object Selection & Manipulation in VR (Part 1)
- Video: Object Selection & Manipulation in VR (Part 2)
- Video: Basic VR with WebXR
- Video: Immersive VR with WebXR
- Video: Your VR Scene
- Reading: Assignment 2: VR Scene
- Video: Office Hour #2: VR with Unity
Module 3: Developing AR Applications
- Reading: Module 3 of 4: Developing AR Applications
- Video: Designing an Augmented Reality
- App Item: Discussion of AR Scenes
- Video: AR Design Case Study
- Video: Interview with Shwetha Rajaram
- Video: Marker-based AR (Part 1)
- Video: Marker-based AR (Part 2)
- Video: Marker-less AR (Part 1)
- Video: Marker-less AR (Part 2)
- Video: Hand-held vs. Head-worn AR (Part 1)
- Video: Hand-held vs. Head-worn AR (Part 2)
- Video: AR Demo
- Video: Marker-based AR with WebXR
- Video: Marker-less AR with WebXR
- Video: Your AR Scene
- Reading: Assignment 3: AR Scene
Module 4: Special Topics in XR
- Reading: Module 4 of 4: Special Topics in XR
- Video: Advanced Techniques I
- Video: Advanced Techniques II
- Video: XR Research (Part 1)
- Video: XR Research (Part 2)
- Video: XR Research (Part 3)
- Video: XR Research Panel
- Video: Making of
- Video: Course Conclusion
- Reading: Thanks!
- Reading: Acknowledgements
- Ungraded Plugin: Exit Survey
- Reading: Exit Survey
- Video: Your XR Scene Peer Review
- Discussion Prompt: Your Takeaways from the Course
Grading Policy
The course grade is based on four quizzes, each worth 25%. The honors track includes three third-party project submissions and a peer review exercise.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Intermediate Level
Some related experience required
