GeoAR’s interactive simulation, Sandflat Heroes, is bringing Aotearoa's vital but overlooked marine ecosystems to life on screen. This story explores how the technology is helping scientists make the invisible visible - and inspire greater awareness of why these fragile sandflat environments matter. A sandflat might not appear much at first glance: perhaps a sweep of bare, muddy ground continuously washed by the tide. Beneath the surface, however, lies one of the most pro

Melanie (Mel) Langlotz is the founder and CEO of Geo AR Games, a game design studio that utilises augmented reality for “creating digital experiences that positively impact the world, fostering education and empowerment with simulations and serious games.”

I’m talking about the strange power of well-designed games. They don’t just tell you something’s important. They make you feel it. Every time I try a Geo AR game, I find myself pulled into a story before I even realise I’m learning anything. One minute I’m getting chased by a dinosaur or looking for the next clue, and the next, I’m caring about something I’d barely thought about before.