Interactive projected sandbox

An interactive display system, comprising:

• a container holding a layer of sand with an exposed upper surface;
• a projector focused on the upper surface;
• and
• a controller for selectively controlling the projector to display at least one guide image upon the upper surface during a first period of time and to display at least one display image upon the upper surface after the first period of time, wherein the guide image includes an image providing a guide for sculpting the sand into a 3D object and the display image includes a component mapped to a location of the 3D object, whereby the component of the display image is projected on the 3D object.

An apparatus for creating an interactive display experience using a layer of granular display material, comprising:

• a digital projector positioned to focus on an upper surface of the granular display material;
• and
• a controller with a processor running an interactive display module and managing memory storing an interactive display script, a set of guide images, and a set of display images mapped to the guide images,
• wherein the controller operates the digital projector to process the interactive display script and, based on the interactive display script, to sequentially project the guide image upon the upper surface and then project the display images upon the upper surface of the granular display material and
• wherein each of the guide images comprises at least one outline of an object to be sculpted by removing or by adding a volume of the granular display material from the layer to create a 3D topography on the upper surface.

An apparatus for creating an interactive display experience using a layer of granular display material, comprising:

• a digital projector positioned to focus on an upper surface of the granular display material;
• a controller with a processor running an interactive display module and managing memory storing an interactive display script, a set of guide images, and a set of display images mapped to the guide images, wherein the controller operates the digital projector to process the interactive display script and, based on the interactive display script, to sequentially project the guide image upon the upper surface and then project the display images upon the upper surface of the granular display material;
• and
• means for tracking a position of a tool relative to the upper surface and means for generating an image in response to the tracked position, wherein the controller operates the digital projector to project the generated image onto the upper surface of the granular display material.