Another Project

I was going to type out the entire process for completing this project, then thought that would be pretty boring. I'll summarize. It's a touch-screen computer built into the boys' wall. We intend for it to serve a few purposes. First, they play a game on sesamestreet.com where they help Elmo design a hat. They love it. They've also played with Paint and done some online coloring pages. Last night they were being whiny at bedtime and so we turned on a youtube video of a guy playing classical music on the piano. And when it's idle, it uses the standard Windows XP slideshow screensaver so they get to look at family pictures. I was concerned about the brightness, but that's adjustable; also because it's got an overlay for the touchscreen feature, the monitor is dimmer than most. So it glows... but barely. In a lighted room you'd have a hard time telling it apart from a standard picture frame. The shelf above the screen has the speakers on it. Not wireless-- I just punched a small hole in the wall at the base of the shelf and ran the wires back behind the wall before mounting the screen in.

But the possibilities are endless. Intercom, webcam, teaching/training videos (sign language, Discovery Channel, etc.), movies at naptime... all just a few thoughts.