As an instructor, I use different media to explain concepts to my students. Currently we use LCD projectors to view slides projected on a whiteboard. This works well enough, but when I'm illustrating something in a slide, I can't help but block some of the image from the projector. Additionally, there are issues with the quality of the projected image both in resolution and in contrast (especially when there is dark text on a dark background).

My idea is simple enough: A large flat screen LCD display with a dry-erase face.

Perhaps there could be a switch on the side of the display to cause the display to go white when used solely as a whiteboard. Alternately, make the display so that it shows a white background when not in use.

I'll grant that this would be a fairly expensive solution today, but prices are dropping every day...
-- phoenix, Nov 27 2001

something like... http://nersp.nerdc....et/cali/malavet.htm
very expensive... [po, Nov 27 2001, last modified Oct 21 2004]

there are interactive whiteboards doing the rounds in London schools if this is what you have in mind
-- po, Nov 27 2001


nah, why don't you just make yourself transparent. Then they'll be able to see what's on the board when you stand in front of it, whether it's from a projection or it's an LCD.
-- lewisgirl, Nov 27 2001


Here's a way to get what you want (a write-able surface, large display):

Get a display projector thingy (used to be called Barco), from any of the makers. Usually run from $3K $5K (USD).

Get a large pane of frosted glass or frosted plexiglass. ("Frosting" of either can be accomplished with sand blasting.)

Get a mirror.

Aim the projected image at the mirror, which reflects it at the frosted side of theplexiglass in a rear-projection layout. Then the instructor can stand in front of it without blocking the projection. The non-frosted side of the plexiglass is available as a write/wipe surface.

Does this do it for you?
-- quarterbaker, Nov 27 2001


[po] The SMART Board in your link is a pressure-sensitive screen that allows you to mark up the content being projected. It still requires a display of some sort.

[quarterbaker] Rear projection would work, but I was looking for something wallmount-able (thus the flat screen portion of the idea).

[lewisgirl] If I were transparent, I suspect I'd be spending my time doing other things...
-- phoenix, Nov 27 2001


phoenix - you can wall mount the kludgey thing I described [as long as there's another room behind the wall to house the projector and mirror].
-- quarterbaker, Nov 27 2001


I am sure a large, low-resolution (massive pixels) and monochrome board would be cheap enough to produce but I dont know enough about the technology. It could even have an extremely long response time (100ms) but this would still be acceptable to scribble on and save/print later.

On the plus side, if you make it transreflective or fully reflective and use passive LCD technology the thing would draw very little power.
-- Jim'll Break It, Apr 22 2005



random, halfbakery