Introduction: DIY Cintiq Tablet Using Wii Remote

This instructable will teach you how to build a very rudimentary version of a Wacom Cintiq visual graphics tablet, using a wii remote, a flatscreen monitor and an infrared pen.

This is pretty similar to the instructables on how to create a whiteboard using the Wii Remote,
but I wanted something I could sit on my lap and move around. I can work a lot more intuitively if I can move around the surface I draw on. I came up with this

Step 1: Materials

Creating the IR pen is the hardest part of all this, but I won't cover how to make it here, as it's covered in at least two other instructables:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Wiimote-IR-Pen/
https://www.instructables.com/id/Wiimote-Whiteboard-IR-Pen/

In order to create the display, you'll need these things:

1 x Flat Panel monitor
1 x Wii Remote
1 x 60cm length of PVC pipe (about 4cm diameter)
1 x 10 cm length of PVC pipe (about 4cm diameter)

[not shown]
An Infra-Red Pen
Some masking tape
a bluetooth capable PC with an external monitor connection
WiiWhiteboard software from Johnny Lee's site - http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/

Step 2: Figure Out the Optimum Height of Your Wii-Mote

The Wiimote has a slightly less than 45 degree field of view. I did the math on how far from the screen it would need to be based on a 45 degree FOV, but it ended up being slightly off.

I resorted to the very unscientific method of hooking up the wiimote to my laptop via bluetooth, starting Johnny Lee's WiiMote Whiteboard app, running calibration, putting my IR pen at the edge of the screen and moving the wii-mote away from the screen until it could see the IR pen.

The magic number for me was about 50cm up for my 15 inch Flat Screen. Your measurements may differ slightly. You'll also need to work out the optimum angle for the wiimote, if the pvc pipe is fairly flush to the bottom of the display it should be about 30 degrees


Step 3: Cut Groove in Small Pipe for Wii-mote

Cut a groove in the smaller (10cm) section of pipe for the wiimote.

Once its cut, you can file and sand it down.

The wiimote should slide nicely into this pipe with the B button / trigger facing Up

Step 4: Cut Grooves in Larger Pipe

At the top of the 60cm pipe, cut a groove for your smaller segment (which will hold the wiimote)

from the side, mark out a triangle about 1cm high, with an angle of 30 degrees (or whatever you deemed your optimum viewing angle to be). this made the length of my cut about 5.5 cm long

You may need to do some filing and sanding to get the small section to sit in right.

Once the smaller section is sitting comfortably, tape it on with some masking tape.

Step 5: Attach the Large Pipe to Your Monitor

in my case, this was very easy - I was able to take the monitor stand off and screw the PVC pipe directly to it. If you don't have a similar connection you may have to do some fiddling.

Step 6: Invert Your Desktop, Connect VGA Cable and Connect Wiimote Via Bluetooth

Once everything is put together, connect your wiimote to your PC and run Johnny Lee's WiiMote Whiteboard Application. - http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/

Calibrate the IR pen and voila! You have a Homemade Cintiq!

Here's a video of me using it. The only thing wrong with this arrangement is that the laptop needs to be close by so that the shortcut keys are accessible. It'd be nice to have some controls on the monitor that could be set up to act as shortcut keys. I'm thinking it might be possible to join up a second remote and bind the buttons to a few common keys.

Anyway, have fun and let me know if you do the same thing!