If you have ever played with an Interactive Whiteboard (IWB), you will no doubt be initially engaged by the "wow" factor. It does feel very neat moving items on the screen, and it can be a great tool for demonstrating concepts and focussing the concentration of students.

However the costs, which run into thousands of dollars for commercial products, restrict the installation options in many schools.

This page provides links to information and resources to help you to create your own IWB.

In a nutshell you will need:

• a computer with bluetooth capability (or a bluetooth adaptor);
  
• a flat surface suitable for a screen;
  
• a data projector;
• a Wii remote;
• an infra-red pen;
• some software;
• some mounting hardware for the Wii remote and the projector.
  

Note: This technology is still very much in the "DIY-fiddle-around-with-it" department.

But if a bit of tinkering with this sort of thing is something that interests you, there are some videos listed below which will help get the idea of what it is all about, and some links to suppliers where you can buy the bits and pieces to make it all happen.....

Get started by watching this video, presented by Adam Peterson.
(Original available on TeacherTube.)

Johnny Chung Lee's Demo 1

This is what started it all.

Johnny Lee's Demo 2

A practical walkthrough of some of the options.

Johnny Lee - Finger Tracking

One step further - how to track your fingers with a Wii remote.

TeacherTube Walkthrough

Link to Adam Peterson's video shown above, explaining how it all goes together in a real life classroom.

Global Teacher

Text version of the above TeacherTube video, with links to useful sites and resources.

Remember, that as well as the IR pens and software below, below you will need a bluetooth computer, a Wiimote, a bracket and tripod to mount the Wiimote, and a data projector.

Pens

InfraRed Pens

Ready made IR pens to use with your DIY IWB. You will need at least one of these.

IRPens Online

The Groove looks like a pretty neat touch-sensitive pen.

Penteractive

IR Pens and other accessories - Wii mounting hardware, etc.

DIY IR Pens - TerraCode

Build the whole thing from scratch - buy all the parts and assemble your own IR pen. Good project for interested students.

DIY IR Pens - Instructables

Another DIY IR pen from scratch - turn a regular highlighter pen into an IR pen for use with a Wii-remote IWB.

Software

Wiimote Whiteboard

Install on Mac, PC, or Linux.

Smoothboard

Software to install on a PC. (Win only)

Boonjin
Developers of the Smoothboard software, (above). Includes some other resources to get you started.

Boonjin Wiki
Share your learning with others in the community.

The Wii remote control handset has an infra-red (IR) camera built-in. The DIY Wiimote IWB works when the Wiimote "sees" an IR light.

So, you will need a stylus, or pen, with an infra-red LED to be able use the Wiimote IWB.

Your stylus, or pen, needs a switch to activate the IR signal.

Most pens have a switch on the side of the body that you press to activate the mouse on the IWB. This means that the pen will work near the screen, without actually touching the screen - useful for soft or delicate surfaces.

Some pens have a switch in the tip of the pen, that is activated by the pressure of pressing the pen against the screen. Obviously you would need a smooth, solid, scratch-resistant screen for this type of pen.

Some commercially available pens have both manual and tip switching options. (The best option that I have found in this category, so far, is The Groove pen.)

3Pinteract

If you don't have the time or energy to mess with the full DIY thing, these guys (in NZ) have put together a kit of parts to help you get your own super-cheap IWB happening. Includes everything you need, including Wii Remote, IR pen, mounting tripod and bracket, software for Mac and PC, etc.