Wiimote repurposed for multi-point interactive whiteboard
By Donald Melanson 
posted December 10th 2007 12:31PM
posted December 10th 2007 12:31PM
While certainly there's been no shortage of Wiimote hacks, the number of genuinely useful ones has been considerably more limited. It looks like you can now add one more to that list, however, as Johnny Chung Lee (he of the Wiimote finger-tracking hack) has now upped the usefulness even further with a makeshift multi-point interactive whiteboard. There's a bit more involved with this one than just a Wiimote, however -- namely, an IR-emitting pen (or two), which the Wiimote tracks while relaying all the necessary information back to a PC. That, as the video after the break shows, allows you to turn any surface into a multi-point whiteboard with the use of a projector, or turn any LCD screen into a touchscreen, of sorts. Best of all, Johnny has kindly provided the necessary software free of charge, so hit up the read link below if you want to give it a shot.
[Via Hack a Day]
[Via Hack a Day]
For those of you who want to try out the WiiMote Whiteboard Project but does not want to build your own pen, you can buy one on ebay (just search "infrared pen"). It is your ideal pen but it works perfectly for this project.
@(Unverified)
You can try iWiiBoard http://www.iwiiboard.com
if your looking for a professional wiimote whiteboard software
This is the IR Pen I found on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Infrared-IR-LED-light-pen-with-momentary-switch_W0QQitemZ250251731631QQihZ015QQcategoryZ73340QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
if you cant make an ir pen or you need more than 1 - i found a site that sells them - http://infraredpens.com/
I got my pen from this site. great build quality, bright LED, and good customer service. Recommended.
We make three versions of an IR pen - one with both manual and tip pressure switches. www.irpens.co.uk
we are interactive whiteboard manufacturer and educational lab software developer in China.
Interactive whiteboard classifications: portable system; front-mount system; wall mounted system; projector mounted system; rear projection system.
Lab software ( for middle school and high middle school) : maths, chemistry, physics.
If any one interested in , please add my MSN: luoxiping2004@hotmail.com, Skype: luoxiping2004
we are interactive whiteboard manufacturer and educational lab software developer in China.
Interactive whiteboard classifications: portable system; front-mount system; wall mounted system; projector mounted system; rear projection system.
Lab software ( for middle school and high middle school) : maths, chemistry, physics.
If any one interested in , please add my MSN: luoxiping2004@hotmail.com, Skype: luoxiping2004
The latest Smoothboard now features autoconnect mode to the computer using just MS Bluetooth Stack. Try it out at http://www.smootboard.net.
Wrote an article about this on my blog, except mine is about using it to create a 3D Virtual Environment. Check it out!
http://everybodyloveslen.com/Blog/2009/11/08/guys-turn-office-building-lights-into-giant-pacman-game/#comment-15131
Would a laser pointer work for this as the IR pen?
That's amazing! I might go buy a Wiimote just for this.
bravo!
Great hack!
why not just use a normal infrared camera?
"why not just use a normal infrared camera?"
Because you won't find a battery powered bluetooth wireless infrared camera for $40.
I believe an infrared camera costs a lot more than $40. Plus the camera probably wouldn't have coordinate mapping already built in.
this is awesome!!!!
i m gonna built one. but i dont know what i'ld use it for though. lol
I don't have a projector so the video only started getting awesome at 3 minutes in. That would be *perfect* for being able to mark things up on my laptop screen.
this is great.
well done johnny.
+1 to johnny boy!
Now throw in Edusim - http://edusim3d.com - We like cheap/Free ! -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVFsxev-2sk
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It would be really cool if you made the LED so that when you put pressure on it by pushing down on the tabletop it would trigger a switch to turn the LED on. You could use a normal infrared camera but then you would have to write tracking software and build hardware to drive it. The Wiimote provides all that for you.
My sis had one of those UV light Care bears where they glow in the dark after you draw on them with the light. Happily hacked :)
Awesome, I am going to try this. Gush, this is a Super hack...
Way to go Johnny
For the life of me I can not find any instructions online for creating the IR pens...anyone know of a good DIY site for them?
All you have you have to do is use the pen case like he showed, connect wires to a battery, IR led, and use a momentary (I believe that is the term)to close the circuit when pressed. That should be all.
hmmmm Rhy-Ming Poon and Johnny Chung Lee all in one day?
just bought a wiimote and bluetooth dongle for this, cant wait to use this with my 20 inch widescreen :D
so how are you building your pen?
Im going to use the infrared led inside an old remote but im not sure if its going to be enough powerful. If it is il use some AAAA batteries on ebay that should fit in a pen.if its not i could buy some powerful ones on ebay.
That's so effing cool. I'm going to try making my own pens some days, that's too cool to pass up.
Wow. If someone can port this to linux, that can make the XO a tablet pad.
YOU DID A GOOD DEMO FOR THE TEENAGE WHAT A GREAT IDEA AND USE A GOOD THING TO DO THE NEW THING! GREAT GREAT JOB!
So is there a tutorial on how to go about building an ir led pen?
Brilliant. For IR pens, one reasons you just use those keychain LED flashlights for $2 at the gas station (squeeze to activate).
I just tried this now, using an apple remote and a projector. It works great!!! I didn't even had to install BlueSoleil. Worked fine with my laptop's bluetooth drivers.
Great job!
This guy is effing incredible. I looked at his videos last time he was on Engadget (for the finger-tracking wiimote), and they're all amazing.
Can I hire him for a birthday party?
Could anyone make a quick tutorial of how to make the pen etc.?
I know most of you find it a simple job, please help me. :-)
Thanks in adv!
Here's what I think you need:
1 Infrared led( easily found in remotes)
1 Switch
3 Wires
Something to connect it to the battery
Casing, I was thinking about using a laser pointer casing.
Solder 2 wires to the 2 feet of the led, solder the other end of 1 of the wires to one end of the switch, connect the unused wire the other end of the switch and to the power source, connect the 2nd wire from the led to the power source and you're done. That's the way the circuit should be but I may have overlooked something...
Here's what I think you need:
1 Infrared led( easily found in remotes)
1 Switch
3 Wires
Something to connect it to the battery
Casing, I was thinking about using a laser pointer casing.
Solder 2 wires to the 2 feet of the led, solder the other end of 1 of the wires to one end of the switch, connect the unused wire the other end of the switch and to the power source, connect the 2nd wire from the led to the power source and you're done. That's the way the circuit should be but I may have overlooked something...
Wii... have a meeting. :)
Amazing! And pretty simple too.
Johnny is my God-Of-The-Day.
I got the Wiimote to connect to my Toshiba laptop using the integrated Bluetooth and it comes up as a Joystick profile. For some reason the application wasn't recognizing the Wiimote. I then tried a DLINK Bluetooth dongle with the Blue Soliel and it also connected fine. The app still doesn't see the Wiimote. I also tried another Wiimote app that does the same thing. Is the Wiimote particular about certain bluetooth modules or a cetain rev of the HID profile? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
VasR
I created a tutorial on how to make an IR Pen. You can view the tutorial at
http://www.terracode.com/IR_Pen/DIY_IR_Pen.html
Check out Johnny's new video on using the Wiimote for head tracking on YouTube. Pretty nifty.
As far as we know, the price of interactive whiteboard is much expensive for ordinary people buying in current market, and not all classroom could use the expensive interactive whiteboard, although the function is such amazing. Anyway, a novel interactive whiteboard--projector genius is every economic for buyers to own, while combined with PC, and any kind of projector, it could be operate with only common flat board, wall , and with remote pointer, it could even work on the curtain.
Main Features:
1.Lightweight/portable
2.Easy operating.
3.Powerful and stable whiteboard software.
4.High Effective Resolution: 9600×4800，300dpi.
5.Big written size: Can be up to 150inch.
If any friends want to know more details about this novel interactive whiteboard, pls add me my MSN: recoveryking@hotmail.com for discussing.
Kelly
Just letting everyone know that if your looking for the support forums for Johnny Lee's Wiimote Projects go here
Its his official support forums
http://www.wiimoteproject.com