Spatial Mapping for Magic Leap 2
This Learn More is intended to supplement the information included within Magic Leap’s Privacy Policy at magicleap.com/legal/privacy-policy regarding what data is collected by your Magic Leap 2 device to enable spatial mapping, how that data is handled, as well as the spatial mapping features and the functionality applicable for your Magic Leap 2.
In this Learn More, we cover:
For information regarding Magic Leap 2 devices or the Magic Leap 2 Ecosystem, please refer to the “Learn Mores” for Magic Leap 2, available at magicleap.com/legal/privacy.
When used in this Learn More, the term “enterprise” refers to any organization responsible for managing your use of the Magic Leap products or services.
What is Spatial Mapping?
Spatial maps are a critical part of the Magic Leap 2 device as they enable interactions between digital content and your actual physical surroundings. When a user uses the Spaces application to scan an environment, the Magic Leap 2 device uses its world sensing cameras to collect wide view images of your surroundings in grayscale, processes that information locally by using on-device computer vision algorithms to extract features from those images, and uses the extracted features to create three dimensional representations of your area (which we refer to as Spaces). The end result is a mapped environment that enables apps to render digital media in a user’s field of view as if the content is really in front of the user.
What About People in My Surroundings?
The data captured and included in a Space only reflects information from the parts of your environment that are stationary. If a person walks through the room while a Magic Leap 2 device is scanning the area, the person will be excluded from the Space. If a person is sitting in the room while the Magic Leap 2 device is scanning the area, that individual may be included in the Space created, but the Space is not designed to reflect a level of detail sufficient to identify that individual. Scanning does not distinguish between organic and inorganic objects, just between stationary and moving objects.
Elements of a Space
The individual elements of a Space are feature points, dense mesh, spatial anchors, planes (derived from dense mesh data) and positional data. Each of these combine to provide a way for the Magic Leap 2 device to understand where it is in an area, the geometry of the area, and where content is placed.
Feature points are unique architectural and texture-related points in the world that help the Magic Leap 2 device distinguish an area. Examples include edges of windows or picture frames, textured walls, tabletops and doorway molding. Feature points are an underlying structure of the Magic Leap 2 device’s world understanding, but are not exposed to users on the device’s display. The more feature points in the view of the device, the easier it is for the device to recognize a known area, and localize into the Space. Some materials, such as glass, black or glossy surfaces, do not render feature points. Slow movements, and observing your environment from different viewpoints while scanning your environment, will result in better feature points in your Space.
Dense mesh is the 3D triangulated geometry that represents the Magic Leap 2 device's understanding of the real-world geometry of an area such as a room or office. During a scan, the Magic Leap 2 device will create an overlaid pattern to represent the 3D geometry. The longer a user looks at a specific area, the more detailed the dense mesh. Dense mesh may be used to place content on top of a table or against a wall, obstruct content that is behind walls or desks, or provide collision for objects. The dense mesh scans stationary objects, while moving objects, such as people walking through an area, are not scanned. There may be “ghost” geometry present if an object moves slowly across an area being scanned.
From dense mesh data, planes (or large flat surfaces) can be derived. This helps identify walls, floors, and optimal surfaces for placing content. Dense mesh data and planes additionally enable occlusion and collision consistent with your environment.
Spatial anchors are used for the persistent placement of content. Each Space includes a single spatial anchor to provide the Space's zero-point. Additional anchors may be added when a user places content when in an application or a developer may want to include more anchors throughout a Space to provide consistent content across multiple sessions.
Capturing positional data during the scanning process is essential for consistent device localization. The scanning process ensures that the environment is observed from different viewpoints. The device regularly captures viewpoint information (i.e., special key rig frames) during this scanning process. The more viewpoint information captured from different viewpoints, the more likely a Magic Leap 2 device can consistently localize into the Space from any location within the real-world area. During the scanning process, a user will be taken through guided steps to ensure quality device localization.
Device Localization
Device localization is when the Magic Leap 2 device can recognize enough of a real-world area to understand where the Magic Leap 2 device is within the Space. When device localization occurs, content can be placed within the Space, and stay in place, relative to where it is in the world. Solid localization is based upon a scan that offers quality positional data and feature points.
Ad-hoc localization, however, does not require any pre-mapping or scanning; it runs in the background where users may not be aware of the process. Ad-hoc localization allows users to place world-relative content, but that content will not persist across sessions.
Types of Spaces
There are two types of Spaces: local and shared. Local Spaces exist only on a single Magic Leap 2 device and offer persistent content placement. Local Spaces do not offer colocation of content between multiple devices. Shared Spaces utilize AR Cloud and offer persistent content across sessions, while also offering large-scale Spaces and colocation across multiple devices. Local Spaces are created using the Spaces application. Shared Spaces are created via the AR Cloud Enterprise Console.
App Permissions
User permissions are required for spatial maps to be accessed by applications on your Magic Leap 2 device, including the ability for apps to use dense mesh data, and plane detection. Apps need this information to display within and interact with your environment. If a user grants an app permission to access their Space then please note that such apps will be able to access the spatial data of their surroundings while such apps are running on your Magic Leap 2 device, even while in the background. Learn more about the choices you may have with respect to the data that apps on your Magic Leap 2 device may have access to to magicleap.com/legal/devices-ml2.
Spatial Mapping Storage Options
Magic Leap currently offers two user and/or enterprise managed storage options depending on the type of Space: on-device storage for Local Spaces and AR Cloud for Shared Spaces. For Local Spaces, you will be able to scan and store on your Magic Leap 2 device up to 5 Spaces (up to 250m2 in a single Space).
For Shared Spaces, eligible enterprises have the option to store on-cloud using AR Cloud*, an enterprise-managed cloud repository. Learn more about AR Cloud and how data may be collected, processed, and/or shared by your managing enterprise at magicleap.com/legal/ecosystem.
As described above, Spaces utilizing ad-hoc localization do not require on-device storage; they are continuously created and overwritten as needed on your Magic Leap 2 device.
*As of January 22, 2025, Shared Spaces and AR Cloud are no longer available for new purchases. Developer Pro and Enterprise license purchases made prior to January 22, 2025 will continue to have access to Shared Spaces and AR Cloud.
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