Learn how to use [Lighting Estimation](https://developers.google.com/ar/develop/c/light-estimation)
in your own apps.

## Prerequisites

Make sure that you understand [fundamental AR concepts](https://developers.google.com/ar/develop/fundamentals)
and how to [configure an ARCore session](https://developers.google.com/ar/develop/c/session-config) before proceeding.

## Configure the API once per session with the appropriate mode

Configure Lighting Estimation once per session for the mode you want to use.

### Environmental HDR


```c
// Configure the session's lighting estimation mode for
// AR_LIGHT_ESTIMATION_MODE_ENVIRONMENTAL_HDR.
ArConfig* config = NULL;
ArConfig_create(session, &config);
ArSession_getConfig(session, config);
ArConfig_setLightEstimationMode(session, config,
                                AR_LIGHT_ESTIMATION_MODE_ENVIRONMENTAL_HDR);
ArSession_configure(session, config);
ArConfig_destroy(config);
```

<br />

### Ambient Intensity


```c
// Configure the session's lighting estimation mode for
// AR_LIGHT_ESTIMATION_MODE_AMBIENT_INTENSITY.
ArConfig* config = NULL;
ArConfig_create(session, &config);
ArSession_getConfig(session, config);
ArConfig_setLightEstimationMode(session, config,
                                AR_LIGHT_ESTIMATION_MODE_AMBIENT_INTENSITY);
ArSession_configure(session, config);
ArConfig_destroy(config);
```

<br />

### Disabled


```c
// Disable the session's lighting estimation mode.
ArConfig* config = NULL;
ArConfig_create(session, &config);
ArSession_getConfig(session, config);
ArConfig_setLightEstimationMode(session, config,
                                AR_LIGHT_ESTIMATION_MODE_DISABLED);
ArSession_configure(session, config);
ArConfig_destroy(config);
```

<br />

## Use values obtained from Lighting Estimation

To use values obtained from Lighting Estimation, get the light estimate for each frame.

```c
// Get the current frame.
ArFrame* ar_frame = NULL;
if (ArSession_update(session, ar_frame) != AR_SUCCESS) {
  LOGE("ArSession_update error");
  return;
}

// Get the light estimate for the current frame.
ArLightEstimate* ar_light_estimate = NULL;
ArLightEstimate_create(session, &ar_light_estimate);
ArFrame_getLightEstimate(session, ar_frame, ar_light_estimate);

ArLightEstimateState ar_light_estimate_state;
ArLightEstimate_getState(session, ar_light_estimate,
                         &ar_light_estimate_state);

// Check that the light estimate is valid before proceeding.
if (ar_light_estimate_state != AR_LIGHT_ESTIMATE_STATE_VALID) {
  LOGE("ArLightEstimateState is not valid.");
  ArLightEstimate_destroy(ar_light_estimate);
  return;
}
```

Then get the environmental HDR lighting components for the current configuration:

### Environmental HDR


```c
// Get intensity and direction of the main directional light from the current
// light estimate.
float direction[3];
ArLightEstimate_getEnvironmentalHdrMainLightDirection(
    session, ar_light_estimate, direction);

float intensity[3];
ArLightEstimate_getEnvironmentalHdrMainLightIntensity(
    session, ar_light_estimate, intensity);

// Get ambient lighting as spherical harmonics coefficients.
float ambient_spherical_harmonics[27];
ArLightEstimate_getEnvironmentalHdrAmbientSphericalHarmonics(
    session, ar_light_estimate, ambient_spherical_harmonics);

// Get HDR environmental lighting as a cubemap in linear color space.
ArImageCubemap cubemap_textures;
ArLightEstimate_acquireEnvironmentalHdrCubemap(session, ar_light_estimate,
                                               cubemap_textures);
int width = -1;
int height = -1;
int32_t format = -1;
for (int i = 0; i < 6; ++i) {
  ArImage* image_ptr = cubemap_textures[i];
  // We can access the cubemap texture data through ArImage APIs.
  ArImage_getWidth(session, image_ptr, &width);
  ArImage_getHeight(session, image_ptr, &height);
  ArImage_getFormat(session, image_ptr, &format);
  // Acquired image must be released with ArImage_release once it is no
  // longer needed.
  ArImage_release(image_ptr);
}
ArLightEstimate_destroy(ar_light_estimate);
```

<br />

### Ambient Intensity


```c
// Get the pixel intensity of AR_LIGHT_ESTIMATION_MODE_AMBIENT_INTENSITY mode.
float pixel_intensity;
ArLightEstimate_getPixelIntensity(session, ar_light_estimate,
                                  &pixel_intensity);

// Get the pixel color correction of
// AR_LIGHT_ESTIMATION_MODE_AMBIENT_INTENSITY mode.
float color_correction[4];
ArLightEstimate_getColorCorrection(session, ar_light_estimate,
                                   color_correction);
ArLightEstimate_destroy(ar_light_estimate);
```

<br />

## Ensuring *energy conservation* with Environmental HDR APIs

*Energy conservation* is the principle that light reflected from a surface will
never be more intense than it was before it hit the surface. This rule is
enforced in physically-based rendering, but is usually omitted from legacy
rendering pipelines used in video games and mobile apps.

If you're using a physically-based rendering pipeline with Environmental HDR
light estimation, simply ensure physically-based materials are used in your
virtual objects.

If you aren't using a physically-based pipeline, however, you have a couple of
options:

- The most ideal solution for this is to migrate to a physically-based pipeline.

- If that isn't possible, however, a good workaround is to multiply the
  albedo value from a non-physically-based material by an energy conservation
  factor. This can make sure at least the [BRDF shading model](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidirectional_reflectance_distribution_function)
  can be converted into physically-based. Each BRDF has a different factor --
  for example, for a diffuse reflection it is 1/Pi.