A Projector-based Physical Sand Table for Tactical Planning and Review

We describe a new sand table display that combines physical models with computer-generated projection and painting-style interaction. Designed for military training, our sand table has physical models of buildings, illuminated by multiple projectors adding aerial and synthetic imagery, with additional imagery for location and movement of personnel. Interaction with the tabletop scene is enabled through wand-controlled painting on all surfaces. We describe the system requirements and design constraints, such as number of projectors, pixel densities on the various surfaces, accessibility to multiple users, transportability and size. The targeted training facility currently uses a conventional physical sand table with wooden building models to plan movements of small groups of exercise forces. Our new display should enhance this planning process and also support after-action reviews. Beyond this initial application, our display may also be useful in applications such as surveillance and architectural