| To understand clearly how the interactive white | | | | light to be visible. This allows the support software to |
| boards might be able to improve the teaching | | | | triangulate the location of the stylus or marker. With |
| environment, you need to understand the sensing | | | | this technology, the whiteboard can be made from |
| technologies which are used to track the interaction | | | | any material. |
| on the screen surface. These are resistive, laser, | | | | The laser interactive whiteboard technology uses an |
| infrared optical, camera based optical and ultra sonic. | | | | infrared laser located in the upper corners of the |
| Among all these technologies, the most successful in | | | | whiteboard. The laser beams operate by sweeping |
| commercial interactive whiteboards use | | | | across the surface of the whiteboard using rotating |
| electromagnetic and resistive technology. | | | | mirrors. The marker or stylus used to write on the |
| The resistive touch screens are made up of two | | | | board reflects the laser beams back to the source |
| flexible sheets each with a coat of resistive material | | | | hence enabling the triangulation of the X and Y |
| and separated by a layer of micro thin air space. In | | | | coordinates. This technology works well with a hard |
| operation the two screens press together, hence | | | | surface such are steel or ceramic which also have |
| registering the exact location where the screen was | | | | the advantage of easy cleaning. |
| touched. With this technology one can use a finger, | | | | With ultrasonic and infrared, the stylus sends out an |
| stylus or any other pointing device. With the | | | | ultrasonic sound as well as infrared light when pressed |
| electromagnetic technology the board features an | | | | on the board surface. The board has two ultrasonic |
| array of wires embedded under the board surface. | | | | microphones that receive the sound and calculate the |
| These interact with the stylus tip to give the exact | | | | differences in arrival time. This helps in the |
| location using the X and Y coordinates. | | | | triangulation of X and Y coordinates. This technology |
| The type of stylus varies. You can use an active | | | | also allows the whiteboard to be made from any |
| stylus which uses battery power or which is wired to | | | | material. However, a suitable adapted stylus or active |
| the white board. There are also passive styli which | | | | dry-eraser marker is necessary. |
| rely on electrical signals produced by the white board | | | | Apart from these technologies there are also other |
| hence requiring no external source of power. In | | | | less significant technologies such as frustrated internal |
| simple terms the electromagnetic white board can be | | | | reflection, ultrasonic only and Wii Remote IWB. |
| described as having magnetic sensors which react | | | | Although interactive whiteboards are technologically |
| and send messages to the computer when the board | | | | advanced, there are certain issues which are common |
| is activated by use of a magnetic pen. | | | | with most types. For instance using permanent |
| Apart from the two major technologies, the other | | | | markers on the whiteboards can cause problems. |
| technologies are also gaining momentum in the | | | | Another common issue is the risk of dents, punctures |
| interactive white board market and therefore should | | | | and other damages to the surface which are not |
| not be ignored. With the optical infrared technology, | | | | experienced with normal boards. |
| you need to press the board surface for the infrared | | | | |