Required Materials:
Procedure:
1. Connect your Wii remote to your computer.
The Wii remote is a bluetooth device and can connect to almost any computer that has bluetooth. To connect the Wiimote, you must make it discoverable. To do this, you must press the 1 and 2 buttons at the same time (If it is your first time using a particular Wii remote, then you may have to press the red button that is located next to the batteries). Then the lights on your wiimote will start blinking. Your Wiimote is discoverable while the lights are blinking.
While the lights are blinking, Search for new devices on whichever program you use for bluetooth. The Wiimote will show up as a joystick named "Nintendo RVL-CNT-01." Then while the lights are still blinking, connect to the Wiimote.
If you are using Smoothboard, then you don't need to connect the Wii remote through windows. Just make it discoverable, and while the lights are blinking startup Smoothboard. Smoothboard will "learn" the Wii Remotes. The Wii Reemotes will appear in a list represented by a string of numbers seperated by colons. As soon as the numbers appear, press the "Stop Learning" button and smoothboard will connect to the Wii Remotes. Remember to keep the lights on the remote blinking by pressing the 1 and 2 buttons together every few seconds.
2. Point the Wiimote at the surface that is being projected onto.
The Wiimote has an IR camera at the tip. This Camera tracks up to four different IR signals at a time. It will track our IR light pen.
3. Run the Wiimote software.
If the Wii is connected, the software will run. Otherwise you may get an error. You can use Johnny Lee's free software, Smoothboard, or there is a version that will run on Macs. Links to these can be found in Wiimote Links [4].
4. Calibrate the screen
Press the big round button on the top of the Wiimote (It's the "A" button). Then use the light pen and "click" on the targets. This is necessary every time the Wiimote is moved or placed in a different location.
If you cannot click on the targets, then the Wiimote needs to be re-positioned--Either aim the wiimote better or move it a little further away from the surface that is being projected onto.
An alternative to pressing the "A" button is to click on "calibrate" in whatever program you are using on your pc.
That's it! This is a really easy, affordable, and portable solution to having an interactive whiteboard (smartboard) in your classroom or for presentations. Please look at the Wiimote Links [4] for power solutions, pens, software, and mounting solutions for your particular needs. I highly recommend using Smoothboard. It is a wonderful program to use with the Wii remote.
Please remember that having an interactive whiteboard is useless unless it is used effectively. One wonderful program that math teachers can use with this is Geogebra [5]. It is a free program.
If anyone has any comments or suggestions please use the contact form or leave a comment here at the bottom of the page.
Thanks.
Links:
[1] http://www.wiiteachers.com
[2] http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/
[3] http://www.smoothboard.net/
[4] http://www.themathpowers.com/drupal/wiimotelinks
[5] http://www.geogebra.org