WiiMote

the WiiMote, or more formally Wii Remote ~ some ideas

The WiiMote controller is a VERY interesting device. One experimental use for the | WiiMote is to implement “surface computing” AKA Interactive Whiteboard(IWB). The most important point here is that it (with a static IR source, infrared “pen”, and data projector) can be used with any surface, in any orientation!

Coupled with an infra-red light source, such as a two burning candles with both remaining in “view” of the WiiMote, it triangulates movement of any one of these provided the other two remain steady. I kid you not! A useful configuration is to keep the WiiMote and one IR source steady, and make one IR source moveable. Whoever thought of position detection this way was a genius.

|Here is another project based on the same idea.

What’s inside?

It has a real sturdy battery compartment. The thing is almost indestructible. It communicates via a Bluetooth connection and has a few buttons- one configured as a trigger, 4 blue LED lights, a small speaker- through which low data rate audio can be sent from the PC, a tri-axial accelerometer and if that was not enough, also a forward pointing 1024 x 768 IR sensor! All of these active I/O devices come together for less than AUD$70.00(2008).

Other uses for the WiiMote

Besides the obvious use as a games device, on the Macintosh, using an experimental software package, it has serious potential in all kinds of educational settings. A few come to mind:

• as an assistive technology device. Roll, Pitch, Yaw(RPY) values provide orientation data. The buttons could also be used for input. Some applications for the Macintosh already give on screen large format virtual keyboards that are easy to use such as from |RemoteBuddy from IOSpirit.

• a “pointer” - only this is one with a difference. It can be used to implement an interactive whiteboard(IWB) like device ON ANY FLAT SURFACE using a digital projector a static IR source and a IR pen using the experimental | DarwiinRemote software. Mind you - so can WB “add on” components. 


• an accelerometer in physics experiments. Attach the WiiMote to a device to be moved and collided. The internal MEMS accelerometer is sensitive to both static(gravitational) and dynamic acceleration so it knows the meaning of “UP | DOWN”. It measures and reports roll, pitch, yaw(RPY) accelerations in units of ±1 g at about 100/s. Due to issues with noise and integration of the data stream, absolute velocity and absolute position would need to be independently checked. 


• as a very practical demonstration of the value of learning about averages and integration rules in mathematics. The data stream from the WiiMote could be smoothed by continuous averaging, and using any simple integration system such as Simpson’s Rule integrated to obtain velocity measurements using dv = a.dt. 

These last two are cross curricular and would be a practical introduction to inertial guidance, one of the most important issues for space travellers. Watch the movie Apollo 13 to understand why! The experimental software package for the Macintosh, | DarwiinRemote can be used to capture data from the WiiMote. The data can then be directly dumped into Excel.


• as a triaxial acclerometer in biomechanics studies in sport. Just strap it on and go! For example you could strap it to an arm and measure its movement. Strap it to a leg and do the same. Again use | DarwiinRemote as the software package. The data can then be directly dumped into Excel.


• as a device for testing human responses under various stimulus/ response protocols using the different buttons, trigger and lights, speaker on the WiiMote. This could form the basis for a science independent research projects(IRP). If the research was done rigourously, it could be groundbreaking stuff!