AR Sandbox

Project Goals

The semester goals for the Fall 2018 AR sandbox team are as follows:

  1. Replace the old sand with a cleaner new sand
  2. Make the calibration system easy to use for the user
  3. Create an instruction manual
  4. Create a water drainage system with a button
  5. Test the AR Sandbox at a testing location
  6. Fix the Kinect power issue
  7. Deliver working model to Camp Riley
Click here to meet the team!

Current Progress

The AR Sandbox  is in the delivery/testing phase of the EPICS design process. The structure of the AR Sandbox has already been built which includes the sandbox, four legs, a removable mount, a projector, a Kinect cameram and a computer and monitor. The AR Sandbox also includes additional features such as lockable wheels and a button for draining the virtual rain water. The Fall 2018 semester focused on improving the user experience with the AR Sandbox. For example, the team replaced the old, dusty, and rough sand with a new clear and smooth sand made from the brand Sandtastik. Additionally, they created an instructional manual and a color code key to guide the user on how to play with and set up the AR Sandbox.

The AR Sandbox is currently at Battle Ground Middle School where it is being field tested by children with disabilities who go to school there. The children are in the age range of 11-13 and they exhibit similar motor disabilities to the Camp Riley children. The AR Sandbox team is hoping to get more feedback from the faculty at the school. The only issue that the faculty have brought up is that the AR Sandbox is not accessible for the children in wheelchairs. This is the AR Sandbox team's main concern, and it is what the next semester will primarily work to solve.