An invisible tagging system designed to enhance the tracking of 3D objects has been developed by a team of researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT's) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL).

According to its developers, BrightMarker is an invisible, fluorescent tag concealed in 3D-printed objects — such as a ball or container, for instance — that shows potential for enhancing motion tracking, virtual reality (VR) and object detection.

Source: MIT CSAIL

The research team explained that to create a BrightMarker, users download the CSAIL software plugin for 3D modeling programs — like Blender — and place the tag within the user’s design. Once the tag has been placed, the design is exported as an STL file for 3D printing. Because fluorescent filaments are incorporated into the printer, users can 3D print the object with the concealed tag, but the researchers noted that the markers need to be embedded into an object before it is 3D printed — not added to existing items.

Further, the fluorescent materials allow the tags to produce light at a specific near-infrared wavelength, thereby making them viewable using high-contrast infrared cameras. Additionally, the team created two attachable hardware configurations — one for augmented reality (AR) and VR headsets, and one for smartphones — that can be used for detecting the imperceptible-to-the-naked-eye BrightMarkers.

The researchers suggest that Brightmarkers would lead to the production of tamper-proof objects that can be embedded with metadata. Meanwhile, an additional layer of connectivity between data and physical objects would also give users improved access to interactive experiences with their surroundings.

"BrightMarkers serve as gateways to 'ubiquitous metadata' in the physical realm. This term refers to the concept of embedding metadata — descriptive information about the object's identity, origin, function, and more — directly into physical items, akin to an invisible digital signature accompanying each product."

The researchers note that BrightMarkers could also be implemented into wearables that follow limb movements or used to track products across the supply chain, revealing information about a product's origin, recycling information and movements, among other things.

For more information about BrightMarkers, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of MIT CSAIL.