Turning Whiteboards into SmartBoards for US$ 40

Hello all,

Poor me. I got a lot of requests for the easy and step by step method of transforming ordinary whiteboards into SmartBoards. Whiteboard, we all know. But SmartBoard is something else.

SmartBoard is a large, touch-controlled screen that works with a projector and a computer. The projector puts the computer’s desktop image onto the interactive whiteboard, which acts as both a monitor and an input device. Trainers and facilitators can write on the interactive whiteboard in digital ink or use a finger to control computer applications by pointing, clicking and dragging, just as with a desktop mouse. It is usually mounted on a wall or a floor stand and is used in face-to-face or virtual settings in education. The price range is from US$ 4,000 to 6,000 a unit. Where in the Philippines can you see them? I was informed by Amir and Hao (I guess), that you can see them used in the International School and the British School. They are not portable and are fixed on a wall. This makes them appropriate for our courses here in HQ, but unfit for our DMC venues.

So how do we bring the benefits of the SmartBoard technology to our DMC clients without breaking our budget? Johnny Lee (and his followers) think it is possible! How? Use the ubiquitous whiteboards that you and I are so familiar with. Make a small gadget from ordinary and off-the-shelf electronic parts....all for a measly US$ 40 (and going down) per whiteboard. Interesting, isn't it? Well, I know you wouldn't just take my word for it.

Do checkout the following videos in their order.

The first video shows Johnny announcing the breakthrough. The second video details how it is done by assembling some general purpose and cheap electronics that you can buy in some good shops. I am sure that there are already one or two suppliers in Manila, but I do not know them..... just as yet! The third video shows a guy assembling the hardware and calibrating an ordinary whiteboard to make it behave like a SmartBoard. According to him, his contraption is cheaper than $ 40 a piece.

Now, who would like to try? Lots of huggggssssss....
Ed Canela
Photo courtesy of Google Images