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Today’s announcement is all about potential. The potential for developers to reach more users than we ever thought possible. The potential for creative-minded innovators to redefine the power of visual narrative. The potential for entire industries—healthcare, education, entertainment, real estate, retail, automotive, and more—to fundamentally change how they impact and inform the customers they serve. The world of immersive technology is poised for explosive growth, and with Apple’s recent news that ARKit is coming to 400 million iOS devices this year, the revolution has arrived.
Into this new era come Udacity and Unity, offering world-class content, and a world of opportunity for aspiring developers and creators.
Learn ARKit
ARKit is now the largest immersive technology platform in the world, and Udacity is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking opportunity for developers to Learn ARKit. This new program is built in collaboration with Unity, the biggest global name in mobile VR development. For any developer seeking to launch or advance a career in the field of immersive technology, learning ARKit represents a significant competitive advantage.
As recently reported by TechCrunch, “Mobile AR could become the primary driver of a $108 billion VR/AR market by 2021 … with AR taking the lion’s share of $83 billion.”
“Augmented and virtual reality are the future—so much so that the most influential companies in technology are betting big on their potential. It’s a great time for seasoned developers and newbies alike to sharpen their skills. We’re proud to work with Udacity to help equip developers today with the skills to create the apps of tomorrow.” —Jessica Lindl, Global Head of Education at Unity Technologies
In this program, you’ll learn everything you need to know to build AR applications using ARKit with Unity or Swift. You’ll develop an understanding of visual inertial odometry, and discover the underlying computer vision mechanisms that enable ARKit. You’ll build a variety of ARKit applications that allow you to place virtual objects on the ground, on tables, or other horizontal flat surfaces. You’ll learn to add dynamic lighting effects that change the color, direction, temperature, and intensity of ambient lighting. You’ll be able to add basic shadow effects to the scene. With the skills you master, you’ll be able to effectively “sell” the illusion of a synthetic object set in a real-life scene, in real time.
This is a month-long, single-term program, and it is available at a cost of $199 for either the Unity or Swift versions.
“At Udacity, our goal is to work with the most incredible companies across the globe to build our programs—that’s how we ensure our students master the most relevant skills, and our graduates get hired. To teach immersive technologies like VR/AR and give our students the best learning experience on the planet, we knew we had to work with Unity.” —Vish Makhijani, CEO, Udacity
Become a VR Developer
Udacity’s pioneering VR Developer Nanodegree program initiated a collaboration between Udacity and Unity that continues to deepen and grow with time. As we intensify our engagement with the world of immersive technology, and strengthen our shared commitment to empowering students with cutting-edge skills in this space, we’re so proud to be Unity’s learning partner, bringing these transformational technologies to a global community of developers and creators eager to reach further into their imaginations to build greater and more amazing worlds.
“Unity believes that the world is fundamentally a better place when we have more creators. So that’s why we’re delighted about these Udacity programs. We think this is going to get Unity into more people’s hands, making more great VR. We can’t wait to see what happens.” —Tony Parisi, Head of VR and AR Strategy at Unity Technologies
The VR Developer Nanodegree program offers a complete path to expertise and career-readiness. Depending on your skill level and experience, you can enter the program in either Term 1 or Term 2, ensuring you’re working on exactly the concepts and tools that are right for you, with a community of learners focused on the same projects and challenges. In Term 3, you’ll choose a specialization, and ultimately earn your Nanodegree credential, affirming your job-readiness as a cutting-edge VR Developer!
The VR Developer Nanodegree program is comprised of 3 terms of 2 months each, with each term costing $400.
Global Reach, Global Opportunity
It is fitting, given the incredible global reach immersive technologies can now enjoy, that among all the other exciting aspects of our partnership with Unity is a new international initiative to offer the Udacity VR Developer Nanodegree program both online and via Authorized Training Centers located throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Please keep an eye out for more news about this initiative, as this is sure to be one of the most compelling expressions of global VR’s impact we’ve yet experienced.
Udacity’s relationships with innovative, world-class companies have long been a core feature and benefit of our Nanodegree programs, and we believe it’s through these collaborations that we are best able to connect learning to jobs for our students. As we continue to explore new technologies, and new opportunities to teach them, relationships like the one we enjoy with Unity take on incredible resonance. Today, we stand at the edge of a new era, one in which immersive technologies will enhance creativity in so many fields.
This is a future rich with opportunity for developers and creators, and whether you opt to Learn ARKit, or enroll in the VR Developer Nanodegree program (or both!), we’re confident you’re going to be thrilled by the content Unity and Udacity have partnered to provide for you.
