PTC Trust collaborated with GNS Science team of geologists/geophysicists to bring the interactive sandbox to the various regions. Youths from a range of Intermediate schools were intrigued with geological theories as their hands created virtual rain in the augmented reality.

Reed et al (2014) in their article Shaping Watersheds Exhibit: An Interactive, Augmented Reality Sandbox for Advancing Earth Science Education discloses a new tool for visualising and learning about earth sciences. ‘Shaping Watersheds is an interactive 3D exhibit developed with support from the National Science Foundation by a team of scientists, science educators, exhibit designers, and evaluation professionals, to improve public understanding and stewardship of freshwater ecosystems.

The hands-on augmented reality sandbox allows users to create topographic models by shaping real "kinetic" sand. The exhibit is augmented in real-time by the projection of a colour elevation map and contour lines which exactly match the sand topography, using a closed-loop of a Microsoft Kinect 3D camera, simulation and visualization software, and a data projector’.