Low-Cost Multi-touch Whiteboard using the Wiimote

Johnny Lee
3 HN recommenders · recommended in 3 months, 2007–2023
YouTube
4.6M views · 18 years ago · demo · dated

Johnny Lee shows how a Wii Remote can turn a projected screen into a low-cost multi-touch whiteboard using infrared pens. The video is a plain, homemade demonstration of the build and how it works.

HN people hold Lee's low-budget Wiimote hacks up as models of ingenious HCI demos and wonder why none became products.

“using the then new wiimote in completely novel ways”
Input devices & novel interfacesHCI research
#wiimote#multi-touch#whiteboard#hci#diyhardware#johnnylee

7 comments from Hacker News

j
@jstrieb2021 · in “Low-Cost Multi-touch Whiteboard using the Wiimote (2007) [video]”
Submitted the video to Hacker News.
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k
@keltecp112009 · in “Life Hack: Low-Cost Multi-Touch Whiteboard Using the Wiimote”
Submitted the video to Hacker News.
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n
@nickb2007 · in “Low-Cost Multi-touch Whiteboard using the Wii Remote”
Submitted the video to Hacker News.
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g
@guiambros2023 · in “Wii Architecture – A Practical Analysis”
... or the various projects by Johnny Lee [1], using the then new wiimote in completely novel ways [2][3]. 15 years later, I'm still surprised these proof-of-concepts didn't evolve into something more commercial. [1] link [2] link [3] ▶ this video
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s
@steamer252017 · in “Ask HN: What software/service helps you be an effective remote developer?”
Using a Wacom tablet with: * A drawing app e.g., OneNote or Sketchbook or Krita and * A screen sharing app e.g., join.me Has worked well for me. What's particularly nice is that you have a saveable, shareable, modifiable artifact when you're done with the remote session. I'm also a bit surprised that Wiimote whiteboards never really took off: ▶ this video
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M
@MiguelHudnandez2014 · in “Microsoft’s Cube debuts at Decibel, creating a one-of-a-kind digital dance party”
I think the hate is the result of how hard they are trying to sell it. My subjective analysis: It is clearly awesome tech, but the obviously high production value of the video detracts from viewers' inclination to appreciate the project. The polar opposite would be Johnny Chung Lee's videos. Here's an example: ▶ this video I suspect the ratio of marketing budget to project budget might be a good informal indicator of this effect. Or maybe it's just an aversion to anything big-budget?
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d
@dtran2010 · in “Ask HN: Good, lightweight bug tracking system for small team?”
I don't have any more time for side projects, but lots of students in one of my HCI classes have built software to do stuff like this in a relatively short timespan (~4 weeks): ▶ this video
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