SMART Board
The SMART Board is a brand of interactive flat panel display (IFPD) that functions as a digital whiteboard, primarily used in educational environments. Unlike traditional whiteboards that require markers or chalk, the SMART Board utilizes a projector to display images from a computer onto a touch-sensitive screen, allowing users to interact directly with applications. This touch functionality mimics mouse actions, enabling users to write, draw, and navigate using digital pens and an eraser. Developed in the early 1990s by David Martin and Nancy Knowlton, the SMART Board became notable for incorporating Digital Vision Touch (DViT) technology, which uses advanced algorithms to accurately recognize touch gestures.
By 2010, the SMART Board had established itself as the leading interactive whiteboard in the U.S., although competition has increased since then, with other brands like Promethean gaining significant market shares. The technology offers various educational advantages, such as the ability to save lectures for future reference, providing accessibility features for students with disabilities, and facilitating the sharing of complex information. With millions of units installed worldwide, the SMART Board has become a staple in classrooms and corporate settings, enhancing the interactivity and effectiveness of presentations and lessons.
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SMART Board
SUMMARY: Interactive whiteboards use a touch-sensitive display to mimic the functionality of a whiteboard while enhancing the user’s options.
The SMART Board is a brand of interactive flat panel display (IFPD) whiteboard used in classrooms and educational settings. Unlike traditional classroom writing tools, such as whiteboards and chalkboards, the SMART board does not require markers, chalk, or erasers. Instead, the SMART Board utilizes a projector and a touch sensitive display. The projector displays computer images onto the screen. The screen itself allows the user to interact directly with applications similar to a large touch screen. In this way, touching the screen is equivalent to left-clicking with a mouse. Typically, SMART Boards come with four digital pens and a digital eraser. These digital devices allow the user to write on the screen using digital ink. SMART Board interfaces are available for Windows and for the Mac operating system.
Development
David Martin and Nancy Knowlton, inventors of the SMART Board, initially devised the idea in 1986 and began promoting it in 1991. Knowlton previously taught accounting and computer science, while Martin has a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and began his career working on computer simulations. The SMART Board was the first interactive whiteboard that gave users touch control of computer applications. In 2003, their company, SMART Technologies, developed and later patented Digital Vision Touch (DViT) technology, which relies on concepts of three-dimensional geometry, such as projection, reflections, and parallel lines to effectively display information and allow the user to interact with the board. It uses digital cameras and sophisticated recognition algorithms to determine the position of the user’s fingertip and to make a distinction between single clicking, double clicking, and drag and drop. These recognition algorithms differentiate it from other touch technologies, like tablet personal computers. In 2010, SMART Board was the most popular interactive whiteboard on the market in the United States. However, in 2021, a new interactive board, the Promethean, had a 33.4 percent volume share of the IFPD market in the United States. Furthermore, from 2018 to 2022, Promethean was the market leader in the global K-12 education sector. The main difference between a Promethean board and a SMART board is that Promethean boards do not need projectors; instead, they are connected to external displays via Bluetooth or HDMI, or they can display their own interactive applications through the screen instead, much like a television.
Advantages
There are several advantages to SMART Board technology in the mathematics classroom. First, lectures done using the SMART Board can be saved, which allows instructors to access information written minutes, weeks, or even years earlier. By exporting these files as a pdf or a similar universal format, the instructor can post classroom notes on their course Web page, allowing students to review notes from previous classes, either to prepare for a test or to catch up on material that was covered when they were absent. In addition, the digital images saved by the SMART Board can more easily be read and transcribed for students with disabilities. Further, images on the SMART Board can be individually selected and copied to additional pages, which allows complex mathematical formulas and diagrams to be reproduced accurately and quickly. SMART board systems are typically connected to computers, meaning any application that is accessible on the computer is available on the SMART Board. Instructors may access spreadsheets, word processors, and the Internet. For these reasons, SMART Boards can greatly enhance the educational experience for both the instructor and the student. SMART Board–type lectures can also be accomplished using a tablet computer installed with the appropriate software and a projector system.
Since its introduction in 1991, SMART Boards have been incorporated into classrooms of all levels from kindergarten to college. In addition, many corporate boardrooms feature SMART Boards allowing for interactive presentations. In 2010, over 1 million SMART Board systems had been installed across the world. However, due to growing competition, the company that founded SMART boards pivoted and expanded their reach to include software for students and other devices. In 2024, SMART Technologies claimed that 3.5 million SMART technologies were in use worldwide.
Bibliography
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McAndrews, Alyson. “Improving STEM Engagement. New Program Uses SMART Products to Help Students Collaborate and Connect.” EdCompass Newsletter (December 2009).
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“What Is a SMART Board?” Master Technology Group, www.callmtg.com/what-is-a-smart-board/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.