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