Techaugmented realitygamingvideo games

Build A World With Your Hands (And This Amazing Augmented Reality Sandbox) (VIDEO)

Build A World With Your Hands (And This Amazing Augmented Reality Sandbox)
Huffington Post UK
|

An 'augmented reality sandbox' sounds like the kind of standard iOS app that we were all amazed by in 2007, and now ignore in favour of Candy Crush Saga.

But then you realise we're talking about an actual box filled with sand, just turned into a complex world building sim, and you realise this is actually incredibly awesome.

The idea is that kids can build their own worlds, compete with water, vegetation and even life, by manipulating the shape of the land by moving sand.

University of California researcher Oliver Kreylos built the strange device with a Microsoft Kinect camera, a projector and a standard computer.

He writes:

"The resulting augmented reality (AR) sandbox allows users to create topography models by shaping real sand, which is then augmented in real time by an elevation color map, topographic contour lines, and simulated water. The system teaches geographic, geologic, and hydrologic concepts such as how to read a topography map, the meaning of contour lines, watersheds, catchment areas, levees, etc."

Take a look below.

10 Best Tablets
iPad Air 2(01 of07)
Open Image Modal
The new iPad Air 2 from Apple is an incredible new upgrade to the tablet you know and love. It's far lighter and thinner, has an upgraded processor, and in our review we called it nothing short of a "masterpiece". If you have more than £399 to spend on a tablet, spend it on this.
Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact(02 of07)
Open Image Modal
The Z3 Tablet Compact is Sony's somewhat delayed reaction to the success of the iPad Mini. The Z3 Compact is an astonishing 6.4mm thin. It's waterproof -- like its smartphone counterparts -- and it comes with the same Full-HD display. With a massive 4,500mAh battery as well Sony's hoping that the premium features and impressive build-quality will dissuade you from buying with Apple.
Tesco Hudl(03 of07)
Open Image Modal
Tesco's Hudl 2 tablet improves on its predecessor in every way, it has a larger, higher-resolution screen, dual-speakers and a faster processor. It's also a really great option for those who want a no-fuss Android experience.
Google Nexus 7 (2013) (04 of07)
Open Image Modal
The new Nexus 7 has a higher resolution display (at 323 pixels per inch), a quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor and a thinner bezel on both sides of the screen. It's also the first device to run the new version of Android, 4.3 Jelly Bean, and a 5-megapixel screen at the same bargain-basement price.
iPad Mini 3(05 of07)
Open Image Modal
At £319, the iPad Mini with Retina display isn't cheap. Also its only major upgrade on the last model is the addition of a Touch ID sensor. It's a decision that has raised eyebrows but as you'll soon realise, when a tablet is this good, sometimes it's more about what you don't do that matters.
Kindle Fire HDX(06 of07)
Open Image Modal
The new Kindle Fire HDX tablet comes in both a 7- and 8.9 inch version, and both are tasty upgrades. The 7-inch has a 1920 x 1200 display, a quad-core processor, LTE, all the Amazon services you'd expect plus a new 'Mayday' support service for new users. It starts at £199. The 8.9-inch is pricer at £329, but has an even more impressive 2560x1600 display - and still comes in lighter than an iPad Air.
Nexus 9(07 of07)
Open Image Modal
The Google Nexus 9 has an excellent display and comes running Android 5.0 Lollipop. It's thin, powerful (thanks to a 64-bit processor) and sports HTC's BoomSound speakers making it a multimedia powerhouse.
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip