The Augmented Reality Sandbox is an interactive, three-dimensional, augmented reality exhibit that can be used as an educational tool to explore the importance of water, hydrology, earth science, and environmental studies.

Eclipse Geomatics constructed the Sandbox using open-source software developed by the UC Davis’ Keck Center for Active Visualization in the Earth Sciences and everyday hardware to model and project a real-time representation of geographic terrain including a visualization of an elevation model with contour lines and a colour map onto the surface of the sand.

As the sand is moved, the elevation model projected onto the sand changes with it, simulating real time land use situations. When an object is held above the sand (representing a cloud), a visualization of rain appears and flows down the slopes in a simulation based on real models of fluid dynamics.

The Sandbox creates a highly tactile and stimulating learning experience for educators, students, and scientists. Eclipse Geomatics has partnered with the Bulkley Valley Research Centre to initiate an educational watershed-based program highlighting the Sandbox and its features.