jdkestewart
It requires a firmware upgrade for their hardware and it (like all Promethean features) are bound to the harwdare/software combination. If you just use the soaftware (Activstudio) then no love!

Don't worry, I have tried.

benpaddlejones

Hi,
This all sounds really positive. It (multi-touch) obviously can be achieved. If promethean and interwrite have this capability, then it's only a matter of time before the clever programers out there can get the wiimote working too. It has 4 built in Ir cameras. Can each be dedicated to a different pen? Maybe 2 wiimotes may be needed but whatever it takes, I hope you can get it going. To those with the gift of programming - may the wiimote force be with you.
Joe

ujs/jdkstewart
As ujs said the issue is not the Wiimote hardware or the software. The Wiimote can track 4x IR-sources (2x Wiimotes = 8 IR-sources). The issue is the existance of software, even the Promethean solution is not very pretty, users allocated screen space. So its not really multitouch, more segmented screens. I haven't seen the interwrite. What would be really good if multitouch could be embeded in kindlelab. It's opensource and a reasonable IWB expereince (perfect for multitouch) but it needs a good programmer to add-in multitouch.

Myself and Boonjin have spooken at length about the posibilities but their is not point installing telephone cable for a telephone system that doesn't exist yet (boonjin's analogy). Mac has a few application in TUIO/OSC format hence why ujs has included in Java Whiteboard.

benpaddlejones

Hi Ujs and Ben and to everyone else who's reading,
Firstly, Ujs, you don't have to be sorry for my ignorance in understanding how it works. haha. I was just venting ideas. I'm a full time teacher in a primary school and have what I consider to be the ultimate permanent setup with the option to be fully portable in seconds. I don't have the time to try and learn and understand what it takes to be a programmer, but those with the gift, PLEASE please please develop a true multitouch system so that I can annotate, draw etc directly onto programs such as paint, jarnal, kindlelab the internet etc so that 3 or more students can all write simultaneously.  Brainstorming lessons, filling in scanned maths and literacy sheets as pdf files, racing each other to complete algorithms / educational games etc would be sooooooo cool!  I have built a lot of different style pens for the kids and now have to set up the whole school with this system.
I won't pretend to try and understand the intricate details and the complex formulas to programming the wiimote and how it works. I'm purely interested in the pedagogy behind Interactive Whiteboards and how to best maximise and enhance student learning. I have been invited by several schools and the Diocese in which I work to demonstrate to staff of to make the best use of IWB technology.  The children absolutely love the versatility of this system. What I  care most about is that it works, works well and I want to help others get it working.
I don't really understand Boonjin's analogy. I'm more thinking, "If you build it, they will come."
Maybe it's time that Microsoft develops a totally new computer platform that incorporates the use of multiple mice simultaneously in all applications. This would solve the issues. (Just venting ideas again Ujs because I don't have a clue as to what's involved in programming a completely new system)
Please keep working to push the limits.
P.S Can someone tell me how to post pictures here. I want to show some cool ideas with my set up but when I click on the "Insert image" icon above all I get is this ....
Regards,
Joe.

I didn't know that. I just wanted to let you know that it doesn't work as you think.

Check this out: http://www.microsoft.com/unlimitedpotential/programs/multipoint.mspx

Any details on that?


Uwe

Hi Uwe,
Thanks so much for the link you posted below. This IS truly awesome. I tried to install the multipoint sdk but it won't install on windows xp unless it's running service pack 2. (I'm running service pack 3.) Will work on Vista. Obviously the technology and research into the pedagogy behind multipoint has all been done. It's just a matter of time before we see a full scale release.  I can't wait.

Quote from: jdkestewart on Today at 06:09:16 PM
Maybe it's time that Microsoft develops a totally new computer platform that incorporates the use of multiple mice simultaneously in all applications. This would solve the issues. (Just venting ideas again Ujs because I don't have a clue as to what's involved in programming a completely new system)

Check this out: http://www.microsoft.com/unlimitedpotential/programs/multipoint.mspx


Cheers,
Joe

Promethean IWB also have an activote system where each child has a pod which can input multiple choice answers. Each child / pod is assigned so that the teacher can distinguish who has answered and who hasn't but also who got it right. There are several formats to display results on the whiteboard. It Does cost about $3000 for a class set though. This isn't multitouch but it is multiuser and the kids love it. Is anyone going to explore if this can be replicated more cheaply? I just love the concept of being able to actively engage more than one student at a time and therefore get the most out of this technology at an affordible price.

Cheers,
Joe.