Interactive Paper Tap | 3D Experience

This is the official documentation for Interactive Paper Tap and the Augmented Reality experience. You can find the most requested information about the technology and its current limitations here.

Functionality on iOS and Android

The experience differs between iOS and Android. In the following Videos you can see the Interactive Paper Tap in Action.


iOS Functionality




Android Functionality





Technology and Limitations

The augmented reality experience for Interactive Paper Tap uses the most cutting-edge technologies available to maximize user experience and create a stunning augmented reality interface. However, in doing so, certain sacrifices need to be made in order to achieve an excellent result.


iOS vs. Android Experience Differences

Both the iOS and the Android experiences are designed to perform as smoothly as possible. There are some technical limitations when it comes to both versions.
If you want both experiences to feel, look, and behave exactly the same, there is the option to deactivate the native iOS experience and also link to the browser experience when using the Interactive Paper Tap with an iPhone.

Here is a table of differences:
Feature
Description
Android
iOS
Video appears on the card
When using the Interactive Paper Tap, a video appears tracked on the card
Check Mark Button
Check Mark Button
Object can be tapped when it appears
When the object appears, it can be tapped on
Check Mark Button
Check Mark Button
Progress bar for the video
The video has a progress bar at the bottom of the card
Check Mark Button
Warning
Rotating the object
When the 3D object appears, the object can be rotated with the finger
Check Mark Button
Prohibited
Custom 3D object Appear-Animation
When the 3D object appears, a custom ease-in animation can be created. Learn more in the "Animations" section
Check Mark Button
Check Mark Button
Custom 3D object Post-Appear-Animation
After the 3D object appears, a loop-animation can be played. Learn more in the "Animations" section
Check Mark Button
Check Mark Button

Vertical vs. Horizontal

In general, we do not recommend using the Augmented Reality Experience in a horizontal orientation. The experience is built to perform in a vertical direction, which leads to the best performance and maximum usability. The following issues occur when it is used in a horizontal orientation.
  • "Tap Me" Button on iOS: the "Tap Me" button on the native iOS experience does not rotate with the movement of the smartphone:
  • Squeezed Android experience: The experience when using the browser can appear squeezed when turned.



The 3D Object

The 3D object has some specifications and limitations.


Difference between complex and simple 3D Object

We offer two types of 3D objects for your Augmented Reality experience. Your responsible contact person can evaluate the pricing and complexity for your needs. For the sake of simplicity, here is the difference between a complex and a simple 3D object:
  • Simple 3D Object: can be found and slightly adjusted in 3D libraries.
  • Complex 3D Object: needs to be custom built.


Format of the object

The preferred format for the 3D object is .fbx, and other accepted formats include .stl, .obj, and .dae. If the customer has not requested the add-on of having the 3D object modelled for them, they should provide the 3D object in one of these formats.


Compression and performance

In order to increase the performance and loading speed of an Interactive Paper 3D campaign, the 3D object provided needs to be strongly compressed. If the object has more than 12 megabytes, the experience starts to stutter and become less usable. Therefore, we recommend strong compression by reducing complexity and polygons. We also offer that service, which can be explained by your contact person.


Animation of the 3D Object

In general, it is not recommended for a smooth experience to make the 3D object move around a lot. See more in the paragraph about "Animations".


Difference between iOS and Android

There can be a visual difference in the 3D object between the iOS and Android experience because of the different rendering models. Android uses the Unity engine, which compresses the object differently than iOS does. This can be manually adjusted to make it look as similar as possible.


Animations

To make the experience pop, there are different animations that can be used in your campaign.


Appear Animation

When the object appears at the end of the video, there is an animation we call "Appear Animation". Usually, the object jumps out of the card. Only on the Android experience, the animation can be changed.



Post-Appearance Animation [Loop]

After the object appears, the post-appearance animation starts. The animation needs to be an infinite loop, so it has to start at the same position as it ends.
If you need a custom post-appearance animation, ask your contact person for more information and feasibility.

There are three standard animations that you can use without an extra charge.


Animation type
Description
Adjustment
Title
"rock"
The object rocks from side to side, gently following an inverse-swing motion around an exterior roll axis — i.e., the vertical axis within the card's surface.
The strength of the movement can be adjusted
"orbit"
The object turns 360º around its yaw axis — i.e., the axis that's perpendicular to the card's surface. At the same time, the object can constantly bounce up and down as it rotates.
The speed and height of the movement can be adjusted
"bounce"
The object "jumps" off the card's surface in a constant loop.
The speed of the movement can be adjusted


Post-Click Animation

After touching the object at the end of the experience, the object moves to the center of the frame and appears on a final page. This is a standard animation that cannot be changed to avoid confusion for the user.
Due to strong technical limitations, the animation may appear a bit shaky. This occurs because of the use of the gyroscope on your phone.



Colouring

You can color and customize your campaign to match your brand guidelines with colors.

Primary color

Defines the border of the card, the buttons, and the graphics around the experience.

Secondary color

Can be seen inside the progress bar of the experience.


Final Page

The final page can be skipped if desired. A redirect to a page will be triggered by just tapping the 3D object. Here is a video that explains how this looks.



The Step-by-Step Experience



Which smartphones work with Augmented Reality?

After a study done in late 2023 of the entire smartphone market, the Interactive Paper can be used by about 96% of all smartphones worldwide. There are some models that might have difficulties in displaying the content correctly.


Slow processing power

Due to slow processing power for older or lower-tier smartphones, the user can experience stuttering in the augmented reality experience.


Display size

Smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Fold have different display ratios compared to a standard smartphone. Therefore, it can be that the content will be displayed slightly incorrectly.


Common Issues

Here is a list of common issues that can be encountered while testing and using the Interactive Paper Augmented Reality experience.


Slow Internet Connection

With a slow internet connection, the experience takes some time to load and in some cases does not load at all. It is usually noticed when you see a black screen instead of the video or the video does not appear at all. In this case, please test it with a stable internet connection.


The AR experience appears jittery or shaky

Cause: Low lighting conditions can reduce the camera’s ability to accurately capture the graphics on the AR paper, which affects the stability of the augmented elements. Insufficient contrast in the paper design can also make it harder for the software to track the image effectively.
Solution: For an optimal AR experience, ensure adequate lighting when viewing the AR paper. This will help the camera detect the graphics more clearly and minimize jittering. Additionally, we recommend using a high-contrast design on the paper itself, as this enhances the tracking accuracy and stability of augmented objects displayed over the paper.

JavaScript Not Activated

If by any chance you have deactivated JavaScript on your phone, please make sure to activate it. Otherwise, the content won't load. Bear in mind that without JavaScript, you cannot surf the web normally, and it is very unusual for someone to not have activated JavaScript on their phone.


Questions and Answers

Below, you can find common questions and answers about the Interactive Paper Augmented Reality Experience.

What can be tracked inside the Augmented Reality Experience?
The number of users, time of usage, time of interactions and time spent.

Can the Interactive Paper Tap lead directly to a landing page?
Yes. You can see an example how this looks on iOs here.


Can there be a light coming out of the Interactive Paper in Augmented Reality?
We are currently working on that feature but for now it is technically not possible.

Can I use the Augmented Reality Experience without the 3D Object?
Currently this is not supported for the native iOS experience, only on the Browser experience. You can see an example here:

The 3D object can be rotated on the Android Browser experience. Why can't it be rotated on the iOS native experience?
This is a common question. However, due to current technological constraints, the object cannot be rotated with a finger in the iOS native experience. If this feature is crucial for you, we can disable the native iOS experience. This will then open the Augmented Reality Experience in your Safari browser and will provide the same experience as with Android.