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Interactive
Whiteboards
An overview of interactive whiteboards used for data conferencing and collaborative meetings
October 05, 2005
By: Alice Osborn
During web and traditional conferences, interactive
whiteboards help presenters annotate displays using
high-tech styluses on large screens and they make virtual
conferences more efficient by giving attendees a visual
reference when spreadsheets, graphs, and other meeting
material are displayed on remote users' computer screens.
Capture or recording devices, such as
Mimio Xi and
eBeam,
allow traditional whiteboards to become interactive
whiteboards because they save the whiteboard data to their
capture bars. These capture bars can then be downloaded to
the host computer. Mimio Xi requires a third party service
to share whiteboard information with remote users during web
conferences, but eBeam's device permits remote users to
share screen information for free through eBeam's software
program.
What are interactive whiteboards?
Interactive whiteboards are the marriage between a flat
dry erase board and a sophisticated computer to capture
writing electronically of hand written notes, drawings, and
graphs during a traditional or web conference. Interaction
with a projected computer screen image and screen sharing
with other meeting participants over the Internet are other
possible functions of these devices. These specialized
whiteboards are used for corporate purposes, as well as for
middle and secondary schools. Traditional dry erase boards
have been in existence for twenty years, yet most recently,
these boards have been coupled with digital technology so
that sensors on the whiteboard can provide immediate
interaction between the board and the computer.
Whiteboard technology
Today's interactive whiteboard technology can involve
laser, infrared and ultrasonic, touch-sensitive, and
electromagnetic methods to track whiteboard marks and
convert them to computer data. All of the whiteboard work is
saved for later use, which is handy for composing e-mails
and for crafting handouts.
- Laser -- The laser sources are located on the
upper edges of the whiteboard and they make a
triangulation of the image when reflectors on the stylus
return the laser light.
- Infrared and ultrasonic -- This technology
requires an active stylus (a stylus that is
battery-operated or is wired back to the whiteboard)
because the stylus sends out an ultrasonic signal
accompanied by an infrared light to triangulate the
stylus' position.
- Touch-sensitive -- These whiteboards can be
used with a finger, marker, or stylus because a touch on
this whiteboard's soft writing surface signals the
electrically conductive sheets to make contact with each
other and mark the location of the touch.
- Electromagnetic -- Electromagnetic coils behind
the whiteboard interact with coils in the stylus tip to
triangulate the stylus' marks on the board.
SMART Board whiteboards
SMART Board™ is the world's leading whiteboard vendor
and a pioneer in the whiteboard industry. In fact,
educational applications comprise the majority of its
customer base. It's SMART Board™ software allows the user to
save work to a single file that can be run on Windows, Linux
or Mac operating systems.
There are three types of SMART Board™ whiteboards.
- Front projection -- This touch-sensitive
whiteboard works with the existing computer and projector.
The writing on the board can be done with battery-free
digital pens that stay in the SmartPen Tray.
- Rear projection -- This mobile or permanent
whiteboard includes an integrated projector that allows
the presenter to be in front of the screen to avoid
"forehead images" and distracting shadows. The rear
projection model uses DViT (Digital Vision Touch)
technology.
- Flat panel displays -- This whiteboard becomes
integrated with a plasma display panel. Also using DViT
(Digital Vision Touch) technology, the presenter's finger
can be used on the board.
For shared conferences, their Bridgit™ conferencing
solution is offered as an add-on hosted service or server
software to enable data conferencing of whiteboard
presentations over the Internet. SMART Board™ also offers a
customized in-wall system with screen sizes ranging from 66
to 84 inches.
Egan TeamBoard's whiteboards
Egan TeamBoard's whiteboards are compatible with Windows
and Mac, and feature mobile boards that use a 9600-baud
internal controller. Its exclusive board writing surface
provides a 160-degree viewing area that can be used with dry
erase markers without making shadows on the screen. The
system's software features a virtual keyboard, full-color
annotation, and smaller TeamBoard Draw files that have full
interactivity with the user's third party screen sharing
software.
Future collaboration needs will promote interactive
whiteboard growth
In order for traditional whiteboards to become
interactive devices in a virtual conferencing environment,
these boards need add-on capture devices such as the eBeam
System 3 device or the Mimio Xi device. Both products record
the whiteboard data that's captured by infrared and
ultrasonic technology using software that's included in both
devices. If others need to view the whiteboard data, eBeam
includes a screen sharing software program, while Mimio Xi
requires a third party screen sharing solution, such as
Glance.
The capture devices connect to the computer via a USB port
and both are portable, which is essential for most business
needs.
As interactive whiteboards are used more frequently in
business and educational applications, their functionality
will increase, as will their affordability. Educators use
these specialized whiteboards to get their students more
involved, as do companies, who use them for collaboration
and brainstorming sessions. The whiteboard industry is hard
at work to continue to find innovative solutions that will
visually stimulate participants to make them more engaged
and part of an interactive process.
About the Author
Alice Osborn is a successful freelance writer and
contributor to Web-Conferencing-Zone.com. Your
definitive guide to
web conferencing services,
online collaboration software and
web meetings for business.
Also See:
[
Identifying and overcoming barriers to effective communication ]
[
Technology in the classroom articles -- using technology in education ]
[ Web
conferencing consulting services -- expert web conferencing guide ]
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