Download Smoothboard Here!
Mount and position the Wiimote
From Smoothboard
Contents |
Mounting the Wiimote
Given the Wiimote was intended to be held in the hand not pointed at a surface, mounting is essential to maintain calibration.
Mobile Setups
A mobile setup (common for High School teachers without a home room and roaming presenters) need to be:
- Quick to setup
- Calibration first time everytime.
Suggestions for mounting/securing the Wiimote whilst maintain mobility:
 |  |  |
|---|
Many of the Ir-Pen sellers are also selling a variety of mounting solutions. The simplest and cheapest are the ones that screw directly to a standard tripod or Mini tripod. A Microphone clip which fits a standard tripod or mini trip also clips to the Wiimote perfectly.
 | You can purchase a USB powered battery pack like the one left from ebay just search for "Wiimote". If you position your Wiimote directly next to your computer you can power it straight from the USB rather than changing batteries. |
Permanent Installations
When setting up a permanent installation you need to consider:
- Remote power source or accessibility to change batteries
- Accessible to press buttons 1 and 2 to connect the Wiimote
Suggestions for mounting/securing the Wiimote permanently:
 |  |  |
|---|
If you have a ceiling mounted projector you can secure the Wiimote upside down to the undercarriage of the projector simply by using an elastic strap (it will still calibrate correctly) or using a mounting device. Buttons 1 & 2 can be pressed to connect the Wiimote with a blackboard ruler.
Powering Options
- USB powered battery pack with a shielded USB extension cable connected to a USB2.0 port on your laptop or PC (unsheilded long USB extension cables will drop too much voltage to work).
- USB powered battery pack with a 5V 1A, USB to AC socket plugged into the mains power socket for the projector.
- USB powered battery pack with a 5V 1A, USB to AC socket plugged into normal power extension lead and plugged into a mains wall socket.
- USB powered battery pack with a 5V 1A AC Adaptor, with universal fitting to match the female plug.
- Advanced Wiimote modifications, these require some skills to complete, but gives a high quality result.
Positioning the Wiimote
The Wiimotes IR-Camera has field of view that is approximately 30O vertically and 40O horizontally. As a basic guide the Wiimote needs to be placed about double the distance of the height of the projected surface away from the surface (mathematically d=2h, see image right). Assuming the Wiimote is placed at table height. So if you have whiteboard setup and the image is 2m high the Wiimote will need to be placed about 4m from the whiteboard. For a mobile setup with a projector placed on a desk/trolley positioning the Wiimote near the projector is a good starting point. If installing a permanent installation, a temporary fix to allow adjustments for a 'wearing in' period is suggested before drilling holes in your lovely ceiling.
The users instructional and writing style will have a significant impact on the Wiimote position. A right handed individual who tilts the pen a little to the left and faces the board when writing may find better results with Wiimote placed to stage left. Another individual who is also right handed but writes on the whiteboard facing the audience will find better results from placing the Wiimote stage right.
There is a calibration assistant in Smoothboard that facilitates the positioning process
Your objective is to use d=2h and the project location as a guide then use trial and error supported by the calibration assistant to identify the 'premium location' for your style and setup. It is important to note most IWB users have an inherently different style to using a normal whiteboard with pens than their IWB instructional style. I am heavily exposed to multiple manufacturers of IWB including the Wiimote IWB and I find that my instructional style even changes between different styles of IWB due to their unique difference.
Many users who say "the Wiimote IWB doesn't work, I've tried it!" often fail because they didn't take the time to locate the 'premium location'. Once you have found it you just need to know the approximate location relative to the whiteboard then after your several uses you will find that you can magically find the location.
I am right handed, I interact with the whiteboard facing my audience and I have a mobile setup (that's my Wiimote in the microphone clip). I know that if I place my Wiimote around 1m stage right to my projector at desk height and aim it at the centre of the projected surface it will calibrate everytime first time and give me perfect tracking. It took me about 15 attempts to work it out then about 6 uses to get it right everytime. I can walk into any room plug in my projector connect everything then calibrate knowing my Wiimote is in the 'premium location'. I learnt this before Boon Jin added the calibration assistant to Smoothboard which has removed much of the trial and error as you can visually see how well you have calibrated.
