Interactive Whiteboard

       The interactive whiteboard or IWB, is a large interactive display that is typically connected to a computer with projector. The projector then projects the computer desktop onto the board's front surface, where the user controls the computer using a pen, a finger or another device. The interactive board is usually mounted to a wall and also on a floor stand. They are utilized in different settings such as in schools classrooms in all levels of education, in corporation board rooms and also in work groups, it is also used in training rooms for professional sports coaching and of course in TV broadcasting studios and other applications.

Operating any type of software which is loaded to the connected PC, which includes web browsers and proprietary software.

• Using software that capture notes that are written on a whiteboard or whiteboard-like front surface.
• Controlling the Computer (via click and drag), markup (annotation of programs or presentations) and then translation of cursive writing to text (not supported by all whiteboards)
• There are some instances where the Interactive Whiteboard can be provided with an integrated Audience Response System so that presenters will be able to carry out polls and quizzes then capture the feedback on the Interactive Whiteboard.

Smart Interactive whiteboards

The interactive whiteboard (IWB) machine is connected to the computer through a wired media like (USB or a serial cable) or through a wireless connection (Bluetooth).

The device driver software is the installed to the attached computer where it would enable the Interactive Whiteboard so that it can act as a Human Input Device (HID) just like a mouse. The image from the computer is projected onto the Interactive Whiteboard surface from a digital projector that is connected to the video output of the host computer.

The interactive whiteboard will usually become active once it is connected and the driver is running, and at this point the user will be able to calibrate the system (alignment of the pointer with the image) if needed, and also activate programs, buttons and menus screens as they would with a scroll or optical mouse. For any text input that is required the user may either invoke an on-screen keyboard or use handwriting recognition program. These input options avoid the need to go to the computer just to enter text into programs.

The combination of the mouse and the keyboard emulation allows every user to control the computer display almost exclusively via the Interactive Whiteboard.

To maximise the chances of interaction, most IWBs come with software that provides tools and handy features specifically designed to improve the use of the IWB. These would generally include and added ability to make virtual versions of paper flipcharts with pen and a highlighter option. There are some cases where virtual tools (such as rulers, protractors and compasses) are emulated.

Electronic Interactive Whiteboard Theory of Operation

Interaction between users and the content projected to the Interactive Whiteboard will usually take the form of a digital pen, stylus (Electromagnetic), finger or some other forms of token pen (Resistive). Many interactive Whiteboards that are currently sold globally will fall into one of these three categories.

The operation of a resistive pad and touch based Interactive Whiteboard

In the touch based system, the finger or other simple pointing device is used for operating the whiteboard. The most common resistive system employs a membrane that is stretched over the surface which deforms under pressure so that it can make contact with a condutive backplate. Location of touch point can be determined electronically and it is then registered as a mouse event. For example, when your finger is pressed on the board surface, it is registered as an equivalent of the left mouse click. Supporters of the resistive type IWBs claim that the resistive system is very easy and natural to use plus it can be used with several different type of pointer. Example: a stick, it is also not dependent on a specially designed pen.

Operation of an electromagnetic pen based interactive whiteboard

This type of interactive whiteboard feature several array of wires that are embedded behind the board surface which interacts with the coil in the stylus tip so that it can determine the (X,Y) coordinate of the stylus. The most common electromagnetic system uses pen that are passive and alter the electrical signals produced by the board itself, but it does not contain batteries or external power source. As the pen is drawn near the surface of the board, the pointer of the mouse will track it. When you press the pen tip to the board, it will activate a switch on the pen which will give a signal to generate a mouse click to the computer. The pen will also have a right click button. This type of IWB is just a scaled up version of the Graphics Tablet commonly used by Professional digital artists. Supporters of the electromagnetic IWBs design claim that the system is more accurate in emulating the mouse (accuracy for the mouse over and right click features), plus it offers a very natural pen action which will not malfunction if a user accidentally leans on the board while writing and it has the built-in ability to give multiple input using a number of pens.

Operation of a Wii Remote and IR pen based interactive whiteboard

This type of interactive whiteboard feature highly reduced cost compared to other models. Even though they can be considered as a bit of a "hack" they actually do work, and they are based on sound electronic and through optical principals that was invented originally by Johny Chung Lee, PhD. in 2007. Johny's said that the goals for the system were to, "Make a technology that is available to a greater percentage of the population" ( TED, April 2008) and that his idea was to get a common Wii remote control and the use the Infrared Camera on the front part of the remote control to track dots of an Infrared light coming from an infra-red (I.R.) light pen. Johny made several videos on YouTube about his ideas and his other projects and an soon, an entire community grew up around his system. Several companies are now offering, or will be offering complete packages for the creation of classroom or boardroom that is capable of interactive drawing surfaces for just one fifth of the cost the resistive, touch based IWB, or electromagnetic pen based IWB. Another great advantage of this kind of system is that it is very portable when you compare it with other systems. The disadvantage is that this kind of system cannot be used in proximity with direct sunlight and it also does not arrive with large collection of educational software.