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OURBOARD: Digital interactive whiteboard for schools
After almost a year of experiments, research and improvements there is a good alternative for the expemsive commercial digiboards: OURBOARD. Based on J. Chung Lee's idea we have made a digital interactive whiteboard for use in classrooms. OURBOARD is available in sepember 2009 in three modes:
With these three choices we hope to satisfy every school budget.
Video projector and whiteboard
Of course, for such low prices, you do not get a video projector and a whiteboard. Maybe you already have the projecor, otherwise buy it. They are availalble in differing brands, models and pirces. For a whiteboard several possibilities exist. DIY whiteboard with formica or melamine laminated board, for example. Also, take a peek at http://krijtbordupgraden.nl (chalkboardupgrade.nl, Dutch site). There you can buy for about € 250 (inc. VAT) a beautiful whiteboard for your classroom and retain your chalkboad with all its advantages (adjustable height, foldable sides). Soon (end august 2009) we have a working demo uf the upraded chalkboard, a short throw projector and OURBOARD solution in a classroom.
Software
OURBAORD now only operates on Windows XP. Linux will follow. The software to operate the board and pen is available on the Internet and free. Besides that we make downloads available so you won't have to search for it. The installation procedure of the software will be extensively described and can be done by someone with a bit of Windows experience (ICT coordinator for example).
On the Internet an abundance of whitebord software is available, free and commercial, open and closed source, open and proprietary standards. Links follow soon.
Comparison
A digital interactive whiteboard, complete in the classroom, does not need to cost € 3000 - 4000. You can have one in your classroom, including projector and whiteboard surface, well under € 1000. All it needs is a bit of labour.
[1] A ready made set contains: ceiling mount for Wii, a Wii remote controller wiht external powering, cable between Wii and USB power (10 meters) , Wii powering device via USB, USB cable, professional IR (infra red) pen (type The Groove) and an installation manual.
[2] A DIY kit has no ceiling mount, no Wii cont4rolleri, no power cable and no IR pen. We assume you have a Wii controller laying around, make your own ceiling mount for the Wii and make your own IR pen. The power cable is a normal RJ11 telephone cord, it can be bought everywhere. To make an IR pen is a piece of cake, it costs a few euros and on the Internet many manuals can be found (see also below). The DIY kit contains: the enclosure, a printed ciruit board, connectors, integrated circuit and all other electronic components, as well as the adaption to the Wii controller to power it via cable. There is little to find out yourself. Regarding the complexity of this DIY project: it is fairly simple. You need some experience in soldering electronic components.
[3] The manual iss on: http://wyxs.net/web/wiiscan/ . The complete how to, parts list, schematics, installation guide and software download details can be found in t
[4] Vendor lock-in, also known as proprietary lock-in, or customer lock-in, makes a customer dependent on a vendor for products and services, unable to use another vendor without substantial switching costs. Lock-in costs which create barriers to market entry may result in antitrust action against a monopoly.
(Source: Wikipedia)
An older English DIY manual (also to build an IR pen) for the first version of OURBOARD, in which some pictures of its usage in the classroom, can be found on:
http://wyxs.net/web/wiimote/digital_whiteboard.html .
This whitebaord is in daily use (june 2009) bij grade 3 and it works perfectly.
After almost a year of experiments, research and improvements there is a good alternative for the expemsive commercial digiboards: OURBOARD. Based on J. Chung Lee's idea we have made a digital interactive whiteboard for use in classrooms. OURBOARD is available in sepember 2009 in three modes:
- Ready made! For € 159,-- (inc. VAT) you get a complete set [1]. This set is delivered and tested by professional electronics engineer Niels Kooy.
Wii controller with ceiling mount, infrarred pen, USB powering for Wii controller, cables. - Do-It-Yourself kit. For € 59,-- (inc. VAT) you get a kit with all components [2]. You can build it yourself and adapt it to your school's wishes and available materials.
- Do everything yourself . Go to hte URL (coming soon) where you find schematics and manual, stan building [3].
With these three choices we hope to satisfy every school budget.
Video projector and whiteboard
Of course, for such low prices, you do not get a video projector and a whiteboard. Maybe you already have the projecor, otherwise buy it. They are availalble in differing brands, models and pirces. For a whiteboard several possibilities exist. DIY whiteboard with formica or melamine laminated board, for example. Also, take a peek at http://krijtbordupgraden.nl (chalkboardupgrade.nl, Dutch site). There you can buy for about € 250 (inc. VAT) a beautiful whiteboard for your classroom and retain your chalkboad with all its advantages (adjustable height, foldable sides). Soon (end august 2009) we have a working demo uf the upraded chalkboard, a short throw projector and OURBOARD solution in a classroom.
Software
OURBAORD now only operates on Windows XP. Linux will follow. The software to operate the board and pen is available on the Internet and free. Besides that we make downloads available so you won't have to search for it. The installation procedure of the software will be extensively described and can be done by someone with a bit of Windows experience (ICT coordinator for example).
On the Internet an abundance of whitebord software is available, free and commercial, open and closed source, open and proprietary standards. Links follow soon.
Comparison
A digital interactive whiteboard, complete in the classroom, does not need to cost € 3000 - 4000. You can have one in your classroom, including projector and whiteboard surface, well under € 1000. All it needs is a bit of labour.
| OURBOARD | COMMERCIAL WHITEBOaRS |
| OURBOARD is platform independent, so for Linux, Mac, BSD, Ubuntu and other OSs. Yes, also Winodws. |
Most whiteboards are Windows only. With such whitebaoards you tighten yourself to Windows for years. That is vendor lock-in [4]. Our gouvernement is against vendor lock-in in education. |
| OURBOARD can operate with open standards software. So lessons you made can be exchanged with other schools. |
Most whitebords operate with proprietary file formats. So, lessons you make, are not exchangeable on other board brands. Again vendor lock-in [4]. Our governement prefers the use of open standards to facilitate the exchange of learning materials to reduce costs. |
| OURBOARD can operate with the enormous amount of whiteboard software that can be found on the Internet: as well open- as closed source, freeware, shareware, payed and free. |
Wiht commercial whiteboards you can get 'free' software. That software is closed soucrce; you cannot adapt it yourself. That's also vendor lock-in [4]. Our governement prefers, when open and closed are equally appropriate, the use of open source software. |
| OURBOARD Total Costs of Ownership is much lower than all other available digital interactive whitebaords. |
A simple calculation, you can make yourself. |
| OURBOARD can be made as big or small as you like. You can use it as a second board in your class, next to your chalk board. You are the boss, not the board. |
All commercial whiteboarden have a fixed format. That's why most times you have to say farewell to your chalk board, while it is still much needed. |
| ONSBORD is writeable with whiteboard felt markers. |
It is not advised to write on whiteboards with markers. Most times they are not made for that purpose. |
| OURBOARD is practically undestructable so very classroom and pupil friendly. |
The whitebord is vulnerable; you have to be careful because of electronic in it. |
| OURBOARD can be, if you do it yourself, assembled in a weekend. |
You can only once spend your money, but yoiu do it much faster than DIY. One phone call and paying a lot of money is enough. |
[1] A ready made set contains: ceiling mount for Wii, a Wii remote controller wiht external powering, cable between Wii and USB power (10 meters) , Wii powering device via USB, USB cable, professional IR (infra red) pen (type The Groove) and an installation manual.
[2] A DIY kit has no ceiling mount, no Wii cont4rolleri, no power cable and no IR pen. We assume you have a Wii controller laying around, make your own ceiling mount for the Wii and make your own IR pen. The power cable is a normal RJ11 telephone cord, it can be bought everywhere. To make an IR pen is a piece of cake, it costs a few euros and on the Internet many manuals can be found (see also below). The DIY kit contains: the enclosure, a printed ciruit board, connectors, integrated circuit and all other electronic components, as well as the adaption to the Wii controller to power it via cable. There is little to find out yourself. Regarding the complexity of this DIY project: it is fairly simple. You need some experience in soldering electronic components.
[3] The manual iss on: http://wyxs.net/web/wiiscan/ . The complete how to, parts list, schematics, installation guide and software download details can be found in t
[4] Vendor lock-in, also known as proprietary lock-in, or customer lock-in, makes a customer dependent on a vendor for products and services, unable to use another vendor without substantial switching costs. Lock-in costs which create barriers to market entry may result in antitrust action against a monopoly.
(Source: Wikipedia)
An older English DIY manual (also to build an IR pen) for the first version of OURBOARD, in which some pictures of its usage in the classroom, can be found on:
http://wyxs.net/web/wiimote/digital_whiteboard.html .
This whitebaord is in daily use (june 2009) bij grade 3 and it works perfectly.