FAQs and Troubleshooting
AR Controller beta release 0.7.0 (2022-06-25)
Table of contents
- Interaction
- Why can’t I see the laser pointer?
- Why is my AR Controller laser pointer inverted?
- Why is my pointer drifting to the left or the right over time?
- Why does my AR Controller feel laggy or jittery in the Unity editor or on iPhone?
- In an AR Controller app my pointer doesn’t feel like it’s following my hand
- Connection
- AR
- Development
- Hardware
- I think I have another hardware issue…
Interaction
Why can’t I see the laser pointer?
- Ensure you’re holding the device in the grip you have selected in the UI
- Your AR Controller might not be calibrated, see the calibration instructions
Why is my AR Controller laser pointer inverted?
- You might be holding AR Controller the wrong way around, have a look at how to wear AR Controller
- Ensure you’re holding the device in the grip you have selected in the UI
Why is my pointer drifting to the left or the right over time?
- To resolve this put your AR Controller on a table while it is still connected, and leave completely still for 30 seconds
- If this does not resolve the issue then download the AR Controller Companion App on the App Store
- Make sure you’re on the latest firmware. If you’re not press the Update button
- If your AR Controller has the latest firmware installed press the Reset AR Controller button
- After updating or resetting the device, please leave your AR Controller stationary on a table for another 30 seconds
- If problems persist, please email DevProgram@arkh.com with details
Why does my AR Controller feel laggy or jittery in the Unity editor or on iPhone?
- This is most likely a Bluetooth signal strength issue. This can be improved by reducing interference by doing things such as:
- Disconnecting other Bluetooth devices such as headphones
- Disconnecting any USB-C adapters as these can cause Bluetooth interference
- Switching off WiFi and Handoff on Mac
- Making sure your AR Controller device is close to the computer or phone
- Restarting your computer or phone
- Avoiding using AR Controller in places with many other 2.4GHz devices e.g conferences
In an AR Controller app my pointer doesn’t feel like it’s following my hand
- Ensure you calibrate your AR Controller while you’re holding your phone at head height. The AR Controller must be recalibrate to each individual user
- Ensure the handedness option (in the menu/ UI) matches the hand you’re holding AR Controller in
- Ensure you have scanned the ground plane before calibrating
- Use your AR Controller as described in the using AR Controller video (coming soon)
(General improvements to the quality of our positional tracking in a wider range of scenarios will be released over the following months.)
Connection
Why is my AR Controller not connecting?
- Ensure your AR Controller is charged
- Ensure your phone has Bluetooth enabled (check in phone settings)
- Ensure your phone has permitted the AR Controller app to access Bluetooth (check in phone app settings)
Why is my AR Controller slow to connect on my phone?
- Disconnect any other Bluetooth devices from your phone
- Switch off WiFi on your phone
- Bring your AR Controller as close to your phone as possible when connecting
Why is my AR Controller not on the device selection screen?
- If the light on your AR Controller device is on (pulsing slowly)
- Your AR Controller is already connected to another app on your phone or computer. To disconnect, completely close any other AR Controller apps on the phone and make sure no scenes are running in the Unity Editor. If it is still connected, try switching off Bluetooth on your phone and Mac
- Download the AR Controller Companion App from the App Store
- Make sure you’re on the latest firmware. If not, press the ‘update’ button
- If you’re on the latest firmware press the ‘Reset’ AR Controller button
- If the light is off
- Charge the AR Controller for at least 60 mins
- Occasionally the device may take longer to appear on the selection screen. Please wait at least 30 seconds
- Restart your phone or Mac
- Download the AR Controller Companion App on the App Store
- Make sure you’re on the latest firmware. If you’re not press the Update button.
- If your AR Controller has the latest firmware installed press the Reset AR Controller button.
- If problems persist, please email DevProgram@arkh.com with details
Why is my AR Controller slow to connect in the Unity Editor?
- Macs have a buggy Bluetooth stack, so this connection issue is largely out of our hands. However, some suggesetions that may reduce problems are:
- Use the AR Controller emulator for general development - this will mean you don’t need to test with AR Controller hardware as frequently
- Disconnect other Bluetooth devices such as headphones
- Disconnect any USB-C adapters, as these can cause Bluetooth interference
- Switch off WiFi and Handoff on Mac
- Make sure your AR Controller device is close to the computer
- Restart your computer or phone
AR
My AR planes are being slow to be discovered or my AR tracking is unreliable
(Welcome to mobile AR!)
- Tips for improving AR tracking:
- Clean the lens of your phone camera
- Make sure your environment is well-lit
- Avoid pointing your camera at reflective surfaces
- Move your phone camera slowly (avoid sudden or large movements)
- Ensure you are in a stationary environment (AR tracking will not work in moving vehicles, elevators, etc.)
- AR Tracking is generally getting better with each new generation of mobile phones, so you may benefit from upgrading your device - refer to your mobile phone retailer for advice on AR suitability of devices
Development
Unity Editor crashes when pressing play
- Make sure you’re using the correct software versions (Unity Editor, ARFoundation, ARKit, ARCore)
- If you are using the correct software versions, please report this bug to DevProgram@arkh.com
I have Unity build errors
- Make sure to use the exact versions of software (Unity Editor, ARFoundation, ARKit, ARCore) specified in the getting started instructions
- Even small differences in version number can lead to build errors
I have Xcode build errors
- If it relates to ‘bitcode’, please disable bitcode in Xcode by going to your project’s Build Settings in Xcode, searching for bitcode, and setting the corresponding flag to ‘False’
- If it relates to architecture, please ensure that you have selected ARM64 architecture in Unity build settings
- If it relates to signing, please read this guide on getting started with iOS code signing
- If it relates to permissions, ensure you have filled in a Camera Usage Description in the Project Settings in Unity, then rebuild your project
Hardware
Why is my AR Controller not charging?
AR Controller will display an animation on the LEDs when the device is charging. When fully charged, all LEDs will remain solidly lit. If the LED animation is not playing, try checking the following:
- Ensure that the AR Controller is not connected to an app via Bluetooth
- Ensure the cable you are using is fully plugged into a power outlet (check for loose connection)
- Ensure the cable you are using is fully plugged into your AR Controller (check for loose connection)
- Ensure the power outlet is switched on
- If using a portable charger, ensure that it has charge remaining and is powered on
- Some portable chargers will switch off automatically when the charge current is low - because of the smaller battery in an AR Controller, the charge current will be much lower than a mobile phone, and so these power banks cannot be used to charge your AR Controller
Why is my trackpad or haptic motor behaving erratically?
- Leave your AR Controller on a non-conductive surface for 30 seconds
- Disconnect and reconnect to the device
- If you still have issues:
- Download the AR Controller Companion App on the App Store
- Make sure you’re on the latest firmware. If you’re not press the Update button
Why is my AR Controller’s battery life so short (e.g. under 3 hours)?
- Excessive use of the haptic motor will discharge the battery quickly. If using haptics within your app, try to avoid effects which play for more than a second, especially if they are played on a regular basis
- Make sure to disconnect the device from your phone when not in use. This can be done by completely closing the app using AR Controller or by disabling Bluetooth on your phone
- If you still have issues, make sure you’re on the latest firmware:
- Download the AR Controller Companion App on the App Store
- Make sure you’re on the latest firmware. If you’re not press the Update button
I think I have another hardware issue…
Please email DevProgram@arkh.com and someone from the AR Controller team will get back to you soon