We've completed our modifications for The Groove^TM 1.5 and have made a few updates.


1.) We have adjusted the casing to allow more movement of the red button.  The result is a lighter red button that is easier to press.
2.) We've switched to a better battery holder that wraps around the battery slightly holding it in place should you accidentally drop The Groove^TM.
3.) We have redesigned the board utilizing a better switch, as a result our tip also requires less force to operate.

One thing I thought worth mentioning is that the tip of "The Groove^TM" was designed for use on hard smooth surfaces that can withstand an LED being pressed and dragged against it.  We really hadn't considered it for LCD display applications as it could potentially scratch the surface of the screen.  Ideally "The Groove^TM" should be used on a whiteboard, a wall (painted perhaps), or a table.  If you are using it with an LCD display we would recommend picking up a piece of thin acrylic (1/8") to place over the front of your monitor.  This will give you a better hard surface to write against and will protect your screen.

Thank all of you that support the wiimote project each day.  Through your advice, counsel, and feedback, we are able to continually improve our products.  Please keep the feedback flowing!  Our goal at IRPensOnline is to build the ultimate ir pen, we've taken another baby step, but we'll need your help to take us further.

Thanks,
Tino

http://www.irpensonline.com

Cost: 29.95 + S/H will ship internationally (send an email for details)

Price?

"The Groove" has completed the pre-production work and is now being assembled.  We have started shipping orders with our earliest pre-orders first.  We want to thank all of you that pre-ordered this product.  All of you have been so patient and we sincerely appreciate it.  As you might imagine it has taken many hours of research and a bit more capital than expected to get to the end product but we're very pleased with the result.

Here are some pictures of pens being assembled.  We're ramping up production to handle larger volume.  We expect to be at 100% production by next week and are currently back ordered.  Please allow 3 to 4 weeks to process your order.  To our current waiting customers we sincerely apologize for the delay but we know you'll be happy we spent a bit more time to ensure its usability.

Better button - softer to the touch


But the best part of "The Groove" is that you merely have to press it against a hard smooth surface for it to turn on.  Look mom no button!


How hard do you have to press on the LED?

Do you have a triple beam lying around?  We actually pressed down on a digital postal scale to see how much force was required.  100 gm of force was enough to turn on the LED.

Thanks,
Tino

that's cool ! 

Hi all,
Got the 2nd gen pen a couple of weeks ago and have used it constantly in my year 4 class. It works GREAT!!!! The kids love the feel of it and is excellent for "clicking" dragging and dropping objects and even writing in all interactive activities. Love your work Tino. It's well worth the wait!
Cheers,
Joe.

Hi,

The Groove has indeed improved significantly. The pressure sensitive tip is now more sensitive and require a light touch to activate the LED.

The button is also softer and require little force to click.

Thumbs up!

Regards,
Boon Jin

I've been using my pen since March - nearly 7 months. WOW!!! I have put up a piece of melamine coated masonite (cost $10) to replace the OHP screen. The Groove doesn't scratch this board but the board is slowly wearing away the tip of the pen on one side - as it only works in one direction.

It is the most reliable and best pen that I have used!

How low can it go (wearing down the tip) before the led stops working?

I don't think that this would be a problem with a metal whiteboard as it would have a much smoother surface. Keep up the great work Tino.

Cheers,
Joe

Hi Tino,
Is the Groove much different now to the one I received in March (you sent me the 2nd Generation as the 1st one I bought before this was not as reliable and you changed the type of switch) or is the rocker tip switch and pressure sensitivity the same?
The pen is excellent and well worth the money.

Thanks too David. I've constructed dozens of pens of many designs and no matter what you do, it's virtually impossibly to kill them. Dropped them, thrown them, stepped on them soldered and resoldered and melted the base etc. This is another reason to place this product above its commericial counterparts. I wouldn't like to drop some other IWB pens. If they did break, how much more expensive are they to replace than our simple IR pen. Need I say more.
Joe.