June 2002 — Product Watch
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Whiteboard Camera System Captures Educators
The SMART
Camfire whiteboard camera system from SMART Technologies lets
educators capture images of whiteboard notes and post information to
the Web. The system is permanently mounted above a regular dry-erase
whiteboard, enabling users to capture high-resolution images of
whiteboard notes electronically. Notes can then be saved, printed or
posted to a Web site for future reference.
The system includes a camera boom, which incorporates two high-resolution digital cameras that are installed above a 4' x 8' whiteboard, and a control unit that's mounted beside the whiteboard. The control unit features a backlit LCD, printer port, network connection and USB port. Users press a button on the control unit to save digitally enhanced images of anything written, drawn or posted on the whiteboard. To record notes from multiple whiteboards, users may connect up to four camera booms to one control unit. The system operates with software that joins the images from the two digital cameras and transforms them into JPEG files. SMART Technologies Inc., Alberta, Canada, (888) 42-SMART, www.smarttech.com.