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Author Topic: use laser pointer as IR pen?  (Read 7003 times)

Offline cjk

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on: March 21, 2008, 10:35:38 PM
Is it possible to just use a regular laser pointer that you buy from a store as an IR pen?


Offline Goose

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Reply #1 on: March 24, 2008, 11:48:08 AM
Not unless you change something inside your wiimote. The problem is it only responds to infra-red, but you can change it so that it sees visible light at 200Hz


Offline apdewith

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Reply #2 on: March 24, 2008, 05:48:15 PM
It would be very helpfull if someone could explain in detail what to do to make the Wiimote see laser pointer in stead of IR.


Offline admonkey

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Reply #3 on: March 31, 2008, 02:33:32 AM
you might find this thread interesting,

https://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?thread_id=1898600&forum_id=764898

does anyone know how to track any light source other than infrared, like ultraviolet light? or is it possible to track various intensities of the same infrared light source to signify different actions?


Offline rejlafond

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Reply #4 on: April 14, 2008, 09:41:01 AM
I'm not much of a electronic kind of guy but would it be possible to buy one of these from ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/5mw-High-Power-Astronomy-Green-Laser-Pointer-Silver-J05_W0QQitemZ360040840306QQihZ023QQcategoryZ149984QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD4VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em124

then replace the laser part of it with an IR so you have a pen with the button and batteries etc...


Offline cphoenix

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Reply #5 on: April 14, 2008, 01:41:41 PM
They sell IR laser pointers. Here's a URL: http://www.roithner-laser.com/980nm.htm

"inio" on another thread says that lasers won't project a bright enough spot if the wii is more than a few feet away. http://www.wiimoteproject.com/ir-pens/what-ir-leds-t468.0.html

A little math says he's likely but not definitely right (he didn't say if he'd tried it): Assuming a laser diode is about as efficient as an LED (which I don't know), then a 10 mW laser will produce as much light as a 10 mW LED. But I see talk of LEDs in the 100-150 mW range. So you're losing 90% of the intensity right there.

Then you're losing another few % from it reflecting off the surface.

Then the reflection spreads at a 180-degree angle, while most LEDs project at a much narrower angle.

On the other hand, reading through the comments here, I suspect that some of the time, the Wii is being used to pick up light from the *side* of the LED, which would make it far dimmer. And there was mention of picking up a spot projected on the whiteboard by the LED, which has all the problems of the laser except for lower current.

So, Inio, if you're reading this, can you tell more about what you've tried, whether it'll work within certain parameters (darkened room, 5 feet away), etc?

Thanks,
Chris


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