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Fantasy Sandbox

Role: Director, researcher, designer

Co-developer: Jakob Karge

Event: Yaga Arts Gathering, Lithuania, 2014 & 2015

Audience: Young families

Fantasy Sandbox is an iteration of UC Davis's open-source AR Sandbox Toolkit, crafted to deliver a large-scale, immersive augmented reality experience. Building on the foundation of the original software, our team introduced new color map depths and optimized it for full-body interaction.

 

Our research focused on refining the user experience at multiple levels. We prioritized large-scale usability, ensuring full-body engagement for a more immersive exploration of the augmented reality topography. User feedback guided interface adjustments to enhance navigation and interaction, particularly in response to the sandbox's increased scale. Integrating new color maps and depths to elevate visual aesthetics and enhance topographical information's clarity. User testing validated the effectiveness of these enhancements, offering insights into the clarity of the augmented reality representation and its impact on user comprehension.

 

Fantasy Sandbox's applicability in educational settings was a key consideration. Studies in schools and museums provided valuable insights, informing interface adjustments and the development of educational resources to enrich the learning experience. Ongoing work involves further feature enhancements, advanced interaction elements, and increased customization options. Future user studies will delve into the cognitive and educational impact, ensuring Fantasy Sandbox remains a captivating and valuable tool for entertainment and learning.

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