Quantcast



Perhaps you've seen Johnny Lee's Minority Report-ish Wii Remote hack. Being able to track fingers in mid air is pretty impressive, but his newest Wii Remote hack could actually save someone thousands of dollars.

The digital whiteboards you'd see in boardroom presentations and classrooms are really expensive, but Mr. Lee's hack will give similar results for less than $100. This solution uses the Wii Remote's infrared camera to track pens that emit infrared light. By pointing a Wii Remote at a projection screen or LCD display, a sort of whiteboard or tablet display can be created.

In the video demo of this hack, Johnny is able to freely draw and control a computer with his DIY light pen, which is basically a hollowed-out Bic pen with a infrared light inside. The only other requirements are Lee's custom code and a Bluetooth link from Wiimote to PC.

I've seen some impressive hacks in my day, but being able to squeeze the functionality of a digital multitouch whiteboard out of a $40 game controller is truly amazing.  

[Via the always awesome Ars Technica]








More gaming stories around the web. Got news? Submit yours to tips@destructoid.com

Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools. Meet the rest of the team



Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

29 comments | showing # 1 to 29
prev next

Excel-2011's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:08
Excel-2011
Why hasn't this been done months ago?
CaptainApocalypse's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:09
CaptainApocalypse
5 out of 5 dolphins. Simply amazing.
Scrixx's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:12
Scrixx
Saw this, I was gonna tip it but i's too late now.

Also it's fracking awesome :D
Excel-2011's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:14
Excel-2011
I also love how he uses undistracting simple film composition techniques that seem to evade almost every other YouTube user. If he used a title sequence longer than five seconds or obnoxious titles over the main content I wouldn'ta even bothered.
Variable Gear's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:16
Variable Gear
Holy shit. Nintendo, here comes yet another application for your hardware that isn't gaming-related. You can't meet demand as it is, so what will you do now? Profit.
DrXym's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:16
DrXym
Wow, a hack which manages to replicate what gyroscopic mice were able to do long before the Wii came out.
Mason Rhade's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:19
Mason Rhade
i don't have a wii but all the cool hardware hacks really make me want to get one.
Darren Nakamura's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:22
Darren Nakamura
That is awesome. This guy rocks.
Hamza CTZ Aziz's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:25
Hamza CTZ Aziz
That's fucking amazing!
king3vbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:28
king3vbo
That is absolutely incredible.....
OrangeGoblin's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:43
OrangeGoblin
Microsoft or Sony need to hire this guy to make their next controller.
Brandon Undead's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 17:55
Brandon Undead
What the fuck? This guy is freak! He is the smartest man in the UNIVERSE!
Spartacus's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 18:16
Spartacus
This is fantastic in every way possible.
Maurice Tan's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 18:19
Maurice Tan
That it totally sweet.
Boolean's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 18:24
Boolean
"What the fuck? This guy is freak! He is the smartest man in the UNIVERSE!"

THE UNIVERSE!!
Alael's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 18:30
Alael
For full instruction on how to do this trick just go yo his site
Bob Muir's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 18:31
Bob Muir
This could save people money...provided Wiis weren't really hard to find.
Simmy's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 18:31
Simmy
Wow, I'm simply amazed at some of the innovations people are coming up with just using cheap technology.
elpoopacabra's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 18:44
elpoopacabra
wow.... my old highschool had smartboards in some of the classrooms. they cost about 10k from what i heard (maybe this is way off), yet they essentially did what this guy is doing for under a thousand.

neato!
dafusion's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 18:44
dafusion
Necros- You only need a Wiimote, not the entire system, so it's not really a problem.


Absolutely amazing work by this guy!
PraiseChaos's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 18:57
PraiseChaos
This is one of those things you look at and go "D'oh! Why didn't I think of that?"
richwhite's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 19:18
richwhite
With Edusim - http://edusim3d.com this is a classroom killer !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVFsxev-2sk

Great hack !

=========
SanityMask's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 20:03
SanityMask
All the pussies must be afterhim now, I can't put up with this anymore. Damn, this is pure genius.
Topher Cantler's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 20:53
Topher Cantler
Holy shit that's awesome!
Pepillou2's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2007 23:08
Pepillou2
Holy tittyfuck, Batman!! Imma try that at school! I'll be popular! Wait... I didn't like that last part. But I'll still do it.
But never forget the "????" step. Without it, there is no profit.
DarthJer's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2007 01:18
DarthJer
I don't know if this guy is quite to the point of having my permission to punch Stephen Hawking in the face, but he's awfully damn close here. I hope he's making a lot of money.
Fading Star's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2007 03:44
Fading Star
WHITEBOARDS!
hjd uk's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2007 04:49
hjd uk
DO WANT
vaintrain's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2007 20:22
vaintrain
WHITE IN GENERAL!!!
prev next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!