Wiimote Whiteboard Set up

The reason for this is to show how to use a wiimote, a bluetooth usb adapter, computer and software to create a low cost tablet screen out of your current monitor with the components just listed.

i made this after seeing johnny lee's video and thought id show my try at it
im a mechanical engineering student and just found this cool

heres johnny lee's instructable for it

Step 1 The Ir pen.

the first step is building the infrared pen. the wiimote is used as an infrared sensor connected to the computer via bluetooth.

I used an ir led, small momentary switch, and a AAA battery. this all fits nicely inside an empty marker.
on the end i placed a piece of foil to reflect the light at all angles.

Comments

[gnoseon]

Do you need a wiimote Plus controller ($40.00), or a regular wiimote ($20.00)?

- Gnoseon

[anshmalhotra90]

i have an external bluetooth device but it not detect the wiimote..
what i do know??

[boonjin]

In addition, you can use Smoothboard's Calibration Window to help with the positioning and adjusting the Wiimote's orientation.

This will help you to increase the tracking utilization by placing the Wiimote as close as possible to the screen while ensuring that the whole screen area is captured.

Regards,
Boon Jin
http://www.smoothboard.net

[RonnieJi]

I agree with shakespeare1212. Windows 7 does has some problems with the "Bluetooth stack", that's why we need the software like iWiiBoard (http://www.iwiiboard.com) which can help you automatically search and add your wiimote. It's very convenient. If you have to do it step by step yourself, it will cost you time and trouble.We always like free stuff,but the inconvenience or the trouble is the cost.

[shakespeare1212]

Your best rule of thumb is to place your Wii remote at a distance 2 times that of the high of your display. For example, if your display is 4 feet high then place the Wii remote 8 feet out from the screen. Video projectors work much better then just your computer or laptop screen. I know that they are expensive. But they are awesome to watch movies on too. Check out the awesome uses that I put them to at: http://whaleboneir.com/numsets1.html

[shakespeare1212]

Windows Vista, and Windows 7 now have a built-in "Bluetooth stack". They work well. They are free, but they do sometimes take longer to connect because they are always trying to go out to the internet and update themselves, as soon as you turn them on.

[RonnieJi]

We can expect the wiimote whiteboard on the cellular phone with an embedded mini projector  very soon.(Just a thought...)

Ronnie Ji
http://www.iwiiboard.com
 

[toogers]

am easier way to make the pen write more smoothly is to put the led facing out of the back of the pen, then just do the same thing. you would still hold the pen in the same way, but the led will face outwards.

[boonjin]

A potential issue with this method will be the tracking may not be accurate. As the IR point is away from the screen, the mouse cursor may end up away from the actual clicking position based on the tilt and orientation of the IR pen.

Boon Jin
http://www.smoothboard.net

[RonnieJi]

http://www.penciil.com/
has a very nice ir pen too

[irpensonline]

If anyone is interested I am making IR Pens to support this project.

http://www.irpensonline.com

Thanks,
Tino

[lolcat360]

They cost a whole lot!

[then]

they're only $20, not that much, although there's always shipping...

[theXmaker]

20$ ^ not too much??!! :O man it doesn't cost more that 1$ to make one by urself!, althought it's very easy to make!

[lolcat360]

Whoa, is that your website?

[mideivalmenace]

I think this project is awesome. I've started to make my own... is an IR LED a regular LED? what does an IR look like

[dokworm]

 An IR LED is an INFRA-RED LED, like the one in the end of a TV remote control. The one from VISHAY mentioned is by far the best one to get, using other ones tends to end up with not a very good result.

[boonjin]

You can take a look at boonjin.com/smoothboard/index.php for instructions on how to make your own IR pen.

The IR LED looks like an ordinary LED but the light emitted is notvisible to the human eye. You are recommended to get the VishayTSAL 6400 IR LED for optimum results with the Wiimote.

You can check whether the IR pen works by using your mobile phone'scamera as the camera usually will be able to capture the wavelengthemitted by the IR LED.

Regards,
Boon Jin

[dokworm]

 Why not just mount the LED on the rear of the pen, facing the wiimote?

[JellyWoo]

how do you connect the pen together?? can you have a picture of the internal guts and tell me what's connected to what? thanks. greatly appreciated.

[volcomsnowboard]

it is just a simple circuit, with an led, momentary switch, and a AAA battery

[JellyWoo]

um... yeah.... what you call "simple" is hard for me. i don't know how you connect everything together.

[JellyWoo]

like how do the wire's and crap connect and the positive and negative.

[JellyWoo]

oh, and do you have to use a resistor?

[degroot]

Hi, I have made everything working. Still it is not working smooth. I can't draw a nice smooth line. Only interrupted and with sharp-edged lines. 1) The WII is half a meter from my screen and my USB 2.0 Bluetooth adapter. 2) My PC: Operating System: Windows XP Version: 5.1 Service Pack 2 Physical processor count: 2 Processor speed: 2992 MHz Built-in memory: 2000 MB Free memory: 1775 MB USB bluetooth 2.0 3 Mbps 3) I have changed all battery's. What can it be?

[volcomsnowboard]

I can't really say, its hard to tell. I can just suggest to try moving the remote to different angles. there is a limit to the resolution of the remote so it is not perfect.

[droob]

You say you used a piece of foil to make the light visible from all angels can you explain further. ie where did you put the foil? On the tip of the led ? Was it just a small piece of foil?

[volcomsnowboard]

i just took a small piece of foil and folded it to make a 1/4" square and used some glue to attach it to the end of the led so the light is reflected back to the wii remote.

[JellyWoo]

nice instructable. where can you get a ir led and small momentary switch?

[volcomsnowboard]

i got both of them at my local radio shack for like 5$.

[munchman]

You should probalbly credit Jhonny Lee for this. Besides that, Great instrucable. I'm gonna try this - as soon as I get a wiimote. Lol

[nickdisney]

sorry guy, somebody beat you to this already. now if only someone would port the program to work on Mac...

[BeanBot]

theres this for the mac i have it

[volcomsnowboard]

yeah thats where i learned to do it, i didnt know he had an instructable for it.

[Hawaii00000]

Mac Mac Mac Mac Mac PLEASE

[jli1]

Just emu XP on your mac. (via bootcamp or parallels desktop)

[Hawaii00000]

Actually it came out a bit after I posted this comment.

[data23]

Where have you been? Parallels has been out for a while!

[jli1]

not parallels

[tyeo098]

You already can do it on a mac, just search for... uhh... Its reacTIVision works on mac, and touchlib, you can compile it ona mac. search for those, they are both multitouch softwares that use IR webcams and such.