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Author Topic: IDEA for a pressure sensitive IR pen  (Read 19047 times)

Offline skimmer

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on: January 18, 2009, 03:23:05 PM
Hello,

I learned about this whole wii whiteboard idea just a little while ago and have been busy trying to make an IR pen ever since.  I first made a normal push-button pen and was excited to try it out.  I discovered that it was very difficult to write/print quickly with it (and my wife was absolutely disastrous at it).  So I tried to make a pressure sensitive pen.  The pressure sensitive pen is SO much easier to write quickly with (I am a teacher and am hoping to use this as a whiteboard in the classroom).  This pen is also very sensitive - ie. you don't have to press hard at all, and it feels very much like writing with an actual whiteboard marker on a whiteboard.

This website has been so helpful in guiding me, I thought I would contribute what I came up with.
The key to my pressure sensitive pen is a stain remover pen (Tide-To-Go) which already comes with pressure sensitive tip.  I've included a diagram with some comments.


Offline benpaddlejones

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Reply #1 on: January 18, 2009, 03:59:18 PM
skimmer
Brilliant in its simplicity!

Any chance you could provide more information on the ben body?

Some images of packaging and links to manufacturer or online retailers would really help other follow in your footsteps

benpaddlejones :)

p.s. this looks like a marketable product to me!


See my full profile and links on my Google Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/benpaddlejones

Offline jdkestewart

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Reply #2 on: January 22, 2009, 01:52:03 AM
Hi all,
This looks like a great way to get pressure sensitive pens. Here's a link for the pen.

http://housekeeping.about.com/od/productreviews/gr/tidetogo.htm

I'll give it a go and let you know.

Cheers,
Joe


Offline jdkestewart

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Reply #3 on: January 22, 2009, 02:23:57 AM
Buy them off ebay for US$23 delivered for a pack of 5

TIDE TO GO INSTANT STAIN REMOVER 5 CT  (search ebay item)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/TIDE-TO-GO-INSTANT-STAIN-REMOVER-5-CT_W0QQitemZ330301936255QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item330301936255&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

Good luck,
Joe.


Offline bubka

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Reply #4 on: February 04, 2009, 07:54:09 PM
I made one; however, my spring and "switch" are between the LED and battery

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFozE9jm4_s[/youtube]

Does not work great for writing.

more:
http://www.wiimoteproject.com/wiimote-interactive-learning-and-pedagodgy-discussion/my-wiimote-interactive-whiteboard-setup/


Offline skimmer

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Reply #5 on: February 04, 2009, 08:33:51 PM
I just saw your images - I think the main problem is the spring you are using - it looks pretty heavy duty.  To press against it in order to make the connection would require a fair bit of force (as shown in video).  I'll try to post a video of my IR pen in action - the spring is simply a very thin wire (or a few strands of wire twisted together) made into the shape of a spring.  It is such a loose spring that the weight of the pen alone will turn on the pen - you don't really have to "press" against a surface at all - very easy to write with.


Offline moveaway00

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Reply #6 on: October 18, 2009, 05:52:44 PM
I accidentally broke off the chalky tip. I'm not sure if that is the reason why, but: I cannot seem to remove the "important part" from the tip of the pen. I've tried twisting, pulling, and then pushing the remaining chalky tip down, nothing has worked. I had to stop pulling when squeezing on it with the pliers felt like i might break something. Am I just being stupid?


Offline jammin0

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Reply #7 on: March 19, 2010, 03:16:10 PM
Any reason you couldn't use the tide to go pen body instead of using another marker body?


Offline skimmer

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Reply #8 on: March 20, 2010, 08:57:35 PM
Not at all.  The Tide to Go pen body will fit a AAA battery quite nicely.  In fact even the tide to go mini pens will just fit a AAA.  I just think that a AA battery would be better, which doesn't fit in the pen body.


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