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Frame from Low-Cost Multi-touch Whiteboard using the Wiimote Plays via YouTube's privacy-enhanced embed

Low-Cost Multi-touch Whiteboard using the Wiimote

Johnny Lee
Demos
YouTube
Cited on HN 4 times, 2010–2023, never outright recommended score 0
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

HN cites it as a clever low-budget hardware hack and as an example of novel Wiimote uses that never became commercial.

Johnny Chung Lee shows how infrared light pens and a Wii Remote can make a very low-cost multi-point interactive whiteboard or tablet display. Software is available for download.

“The polar opposite would be Johnny Chung Lee's videos.” (HN, 2014)

4 citations · Demos · partly dated

4 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@MiguelHudnandez Sep 2014 Cites it
on HN thread Microsoft’s Cube debuts at Decibel, creating a one-of-a-kind digital dance party
I think the hate is the result of how hard they are trying to sell it. My subjective analysis: It is clearly awesome tech, but the obviously high production value of the video detracts from viewers' inclination to appreciate the project. The polar opposite would be Johnny Chung Lee's videos. Here's an example: [this video] I suspect the ratio of marketing budget to project budget might be a good informal indicator of this effect. Or maybe it's just an aversion to anything big-budget?
Low-budget project video as contrast to polished marketing
@steamer25 Dec 2017 Cites it
on HN thread Ask HN: What software/service helps you be an effective remote developer?
Using a Wacom tablet with: * A drawing app e.g., OneNote or Sketchbook or Krita and * A screen sharing app e.g., join.me Has worked well for me. What's particularly nice is that you have a saveable, shareable, modifiable artifact when you're done with the remote session. I'm also a bit surprised that Wiimote whiteboards never really took off: [this video]
Wiimote whiteboard that never took off
@guiambros Sep 2023 Cites it
on HN thread Wii Architecture – A Practical Analysis
... or the various projects by Johnny Lee [1], using the then new wiimote in completely novel ways [2][3]. 15 years later, I'm still surprised these proof-of-concepts didn't evolve into something more commercial. [1] [link] [2] [link] [3] [this video]
Novel Wiimote uses that never became commercial

Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.

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