AR sandbox

How does the exhibit work?

An AR game is projected onto the sandbox.Try to get the projected ball into the circle with the triangles by making a track with the sand.

If it fails, the game will restart. If successful, the game moves to the next level.

What is the science behind it?

What do you think of this sandbox with augmented reality (AR)? You see the real world (the sand), with a digital layer on top (the ball, the goal and the contour lines).

A depth camera hangs above the tank. It 'scans' the sand surface and therefore knows how high or low the sand is. A computer chooses the lines and colours based on that info. These are then projected onto it. The top of a mountain takes on a red colour, a valley a blue colour.

The ball is programmed to roll from high to low, just as if gravity is really acting on it. If you get the ball in the goal, you score. GOAL!

AR at Snapchat

A lot of Snapchat lenses work with AR. The app first recognises a face thanks to the light and dark spots on the camera images and determines where the mouth, nose and eyes are. AR adds the right elements, such as dog ears or a flower crown, in the right places.

AR for stargazing

Looking at the stars at night is cool, but recognising them is hard. AR to the rescue! With an app like SkyView, all you have to do is point your camera at the night sky and the screen will show you exactly what you are looking at.