One of the platforms I tested is Blippar, specifically Blippar Builder, which is promoted as a no-code AR creation tool.
This blogpost clarifies what Blippar Builder can actually do, what it cannot do, and how it fits into my overall prototyping workflow.
What is Blippar Builder?
Blippar Builder is a web-based AR authoring platform that allows users to create AR experiences without programming. Content such as 3D models, images, videos, and text can be placed into an AR scene and triggered through QR codes or image recognition. The experience then runs on smartphones, either via WebAR or the Blippar app.
Official platform information:
https://www.blippar.com/builder
The tool is mainly designed for marketing and branded AR experiences, but it can also be used in design research contexts.
What Blippar Builder is good at
Blippar Builder works well for early-stage AR prototyping. It allows me to quickly visualize ideas and test how AR content appears in real physical environments. This includes checking scale, placement, readability, and overall visual clarity.
For my thesis, this distinction is actually helpful. Blippar Builder can function as an early-stage tool to test visual comfort, scale, clarity, and first emotional reactions to AR content. These are key aspects of my research, which focuses on reducing sensory overload and improving emotional comfort in retail settings.
Because the tool requires no coding, it keeps the focus on design decisions rather than technical implementation.
What Blippar Builder cannot do
Blippar Builder has clear limitations when it comes to interaction depth. It does not support complex user flows, adaptive behavior, or logic that changes based on user state. Interaction options are mostly predefined and linear.
Blippar offers both a visual Builder and a Unity plug-in, but they are used in different ways. Projects made in the Builder cannot be moved into Unity. The Unity plug-in is for building AR experiences directly in Unity, while the Builder is mainly for quick visual prototypes and testing ideas.
Blippar Builder vs Unity: how they connect
Blippar Builder and Unity serve different roles in the design process.
Blippar Builder → early visual / comfort / perception testing
Unity + Blippar SDK → advanced AR development (if needed)
Unity without Blippar SDK → alternative AR pipeline
When a company like Blippar offers an AR SDK, it means: developers can build AR experiences inside their own app or in Unity
SDK- A Software Development Kit (SDK) is a collection of tools and code libraries that allows developers to build and customize applications by directly programming functionality, such as AR tracking or interaction logic.
Why this tool choice makes sense for my thesis
Using Blippar Builder at an early stage allows me to:
- test visual comfort and clarity quickly
- observe first user reactions
- refine design direction before technical development
- free for the first steps
Later, moving to Unity (with more experience and money) allows for more complex experimentation with interaction, pacing, and user behavior. This separation demonstrates a structured and methodologically sound design process, rather than a limitation.
Scope and Limitations of the Prototype Testing
The prototype was not designed to evaluate long-term usage patterns, complex interaction flows, or adaptive and personalized system behavior. These aspects were intentionally excluded from the testing process. The focus of the research lies on first impressions, visual clarity, sensory comfort, and initial emotional responses to AR-supported retail interactions, rather than on system performance, prolonged engagement, or behavioral optimization over time.
My feedback on the User-experience aspect of it while trying it out a bit.
One issue I noticed early on is that the instant readiness of the tool can be misleading. The previews and renderings inside the Builder often give a more polished impression than the final AR experience after publishing. In practice, this means that what looks good during setup does not always translate exactly the same way in the live AR environment.
As a result, publishing can sometimes lead to disappointment, especially when expectations are set too high by the in-editor preview. This made it clear that multiple rounds of testing, proofreading, and correction are necessary to achieve the desired quality. In that sense, the tool encourages fast creation, but still requires careful refinement to avoid false assumptions about the final outcome.
I also encountered some features that were not immediately intuitive and were harder to understand or apply within my project context. Certain functions require trial and error before their behavior becomes clear, which can slow down the workflow at times.
That said, aside from these limitations, my first interaction with Blippar Builder was mostly smooth. The platform allowed me to create the type of AR content I had in mind without needing coding knowledge, which is a significant advantage. This accessibility is a key reason why such tools attract attention at trade shows and events and can contribute to increased engagement and sales. By lowering the technical barrier, Blippar Builder opens up AR creation to a wider audience and enables brands to differentiate themselves through interactive marketing experiences.
Conclusion
Blippar Builder is capable of producing AR prototypes, but primarily at a conceptual and visual level. It is best suited for early-stage design exploration and communication of ideas. For more complex interaction and behavioral research, it needs to be combined with more flexible development tools such as Unity.
In my thesis workflow, Blippar Builder therefore functions as a valuable early-stage prototyping tool, supporting design exploration before moving into deeper technical development.
Source links you can include in your blogpost:
- Blippar Builder: https://www.blippar.com/builder
- Blippar company overview: https://www.blippar.com/
In the development of this blogpost, AI (ChatGPT) was used as a supportive writing and structuring tool. I provided the conceptual content, research direction, theoretical preferences, and methodological decisions, while the AI assisted in translating it to English, refining the wording, organising the material and generating coherent academic formulations based on my input. The AI did not produce research or arguments but helped transform my ideas into a clear and well-structured text draft
