WiiMote Project (MAC)

Let's take a closer look at the belt

2008-12-23T11:31:00.009-07:00

First, look at the list of materials on this post.

Then, take off the switch and tie up both black and red wire together with tape.

additional materials:
1) a clear plastic container
I'd been looking for this kind of thing everywhere (Wal-Mart/Home Depot/Office Depot/Office Max/Bed, Bath & beyond/Linen&Things/ Kohls etc.) Finally, I got it from HobbyLobby for $0.77!
2) a magnet clip from Office Depot for $1.99
3) double-sided tape

Put the Infrared light with a AA battery in the box and clip it on the belt.

Done!

Next time, I will talk about how we can calibrate the screen with this belt!

Wiidentity

2008-12-14T21:22:00.008-07:00

Finally, I'm graduated!!!

Here are some footage from thesis show.

Wiidentity Source: download
Thanks for all wonderful time. I really enjoy it!

Thanks to Johnny Lee for the incredible inspiration.
Thanks to Wiimote Project Forums from all helpful descriptions and interesting projects.

Thanks to Uwe for the contribution.

Thanks to Linus for the idea and help.

Thanks to Jared Wolf for cool websites and passion.

Thanks to Brian DeLevie and Bryan Liester for their patient to me.
{I'll remember all your words that you guys've been teaching me.}

Thank you all flash designers and programmers that I've been visited and talked to.
{You are unbelievable!}

Breaking Brick Game (AS2)

2008-11-18T20:38:00.005-07:00

I decide to go back and use Wiimote Whiteboard software now.
In stead of using IR pen, I plan to build a LED light attached to the belt like this girl did.
Her team created the duck hunt game, but I created Breaking Brick Game.

Breaking Brick game sources: see the list of VDOs here.
The list there isn't in order, but you can see the order below.

The guy who recorded all these VDOs is really nice to make this list, but unfortunately, I found this out after I watched about five or six clips already.
His VDO tutorials are also easy to watch and to follow along.

As soon as, I have my game done, I will post up my full sources then.

DarwiinRemote (step-by-step)

2008-10-09T09:52:00.004-06:00

Download Source: click here
Additional Source: click here

The DarwiinRemote icon will look like this.

Double clicks on it, and you will a window looks like this.

Hold 1&2 buttons on Wii remote and click on "find Wiimote."
Sometimes you will get the error like this.

Just release the buttons until the blinking light goes away and do it again.
It might take up to a minute.
When it connected, you will see a couple wave in the different colors like this.

To enable IR mode, click on "IR Censor" and select "Mouse Mode On (IR) from the drop down menu."
So you can uses two candles as a censor bar.

To set the function keys, go to "DarwiinRemote" ----> "Preferences."

and you will get a window looks like this. Make a change to whatever you prefer and Enjoy!

DarwiinRemote

2008-10-06T09:40:00.004-06:00

After I tried WiiMote Whiteboard, I think that it might be too hard for the visitor, who came in the gallery at the first time and had no experience at all. It might be too hard for them to learn how to interact by IR pen and control everything.

So I did some more research, trying to find anything else that works with Mac. There's still only a few.

DarwiinRemote is a software that allows you to use a Wii Remote as a mouse. What I learn from this software is I can use two candles as a censor bar!! It's a big save to me. I feel like I already spent too much money for my thesis now.

Here is my first test. It was more smoother than when I used IR pen in WiiMote Whiteboard.

WiiMote WhiteBoard (step-by-step)

2008-10-03T13:55:00.007-06:00

I see a lot of PC users having problem trying to connect Wii Remote with Bluetooth, but I haven't seen this problem with any mac users though.
I can't recommend which Bluetooth will definitely work, but I'm using a MacBook and here is what I have.

If you have a problem connecting yours, you might want to check this out.

After you got the WiiMote Whiteboard software installed, you will get a folder that looks like this.

double clicks on the icon and click open

After you opened the software, hold 1&2 button on your Wii Remote.

until it gets connected

If you got a list of error message, just quit and open the application again.

Then, use your IR pen to calibrate the screen (each dot at a time).
The calibrate window will disappear after you got all four dots calibrated.

If you want to do double-click, go to preferences ---> Mouse Control ---> Assist Double Clicks

WiiMote WhiteBoard

2008-10-02T12:01:00.010-06:00

: Download Source
: Additional Source

My first test

You can see that my first test didn't go as smooth as I expected and I slowly fixed the problems.

From this experiment, I learned how to go to preferences and see what I can do in there.

There are several sources talking about how to build an IR pen to work with this software, but these are two sources that I would recommend.

• http://clinik.net/wiimote/wiimote_info_my_pen_2.php
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScAE37_f8GU

Most people said that you can build an IR pen for under $10. They are probably right if you are familiar with all the materials. Unfortunately, I spent more than $20 to actually get my pen to work.

These are the materials that I used and I got most of them from RadioShack.

switch $2.99

N battery holder $0.99

N batteries $3.99

founded marker $0

pliers (borrowed it from one of my friends) $0

soldering Iron $17.22 (included tax) from Home Depot. It comes with two different tips and solder.

5 MM IR LED 940 NM $1.99 (This one doesn't work very well, though)
There're so many types of IR and I have no clue which one I should recommend.

However, I went back to RadioShack and bought the other stuffs to build another pen.
I got AA battery holder ($0.99) instead of N battery holder.
I realized that the wire which came with battery holder was so fragile, so I also bought 45' electric wire ($6.99).

I got this IR instead and it works better that the one earlier.

IR LED/detector $3.49

I saw an ad from google. There is a link to a website. They sell a specified IR pen that uses with WiiMote Whiteboard for only $7. You might want to check it out!

Inspiration

2008-09-30T09:39:00.008-06:00

My thesis idea is primarily inspired by Johnny Chung Lee's projects even though he's more an IT guy and I'm an artist. Well, today, technology and art have influenced each other. I don't see why I can't get inspired by his projects and manipulate them in my art work.

Johnny Lee's software is available for download and meant to be developed further. Unfortunately, his contributed software will work with only PC and I'm a Mac user. At the first time, I thought about using my sister's Toshiba laptop but its Bluetooth didn't support Lee's software and she doesn't have any Adobe application on her laptop as well. So there're two solutions to solve this problem; 1) buy the appropriate bluetooth dongal, or 2) find the similar software that works with Mac.

Then, I found this forum so helpful and a link to get me out of the dark tunnel!