[HN Gopher] Teacher's low-tech laptop hack to display handwritte...
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       Teacher's low-tech laptop hack to display handwritten notes for
       online class
        
       Author : miles
       Score  : 59 points
       Date   : 2020-09-13 22:07 UTC (52 minutes ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (mothership.sg)
 (TXT) w3m dump (mothership.sg)
        
       | bentpins wrote:
       | Maybe I'm missing something but how is the image so clear? CDs
       | don't have a mirror like surface, they reflect light in unusual
       | ways
        
         | formerly_proven wrote:
         | Use a pressed CD (which are good mirrors at this angle), not a
         | blank CD (which are tinted).
        
         | jeffbee wrote:
         | I just pointed a CD at my face and it's pretty much a mirror.
         | What unusual reflection did you expect?
        
         | the_svd_doctor wrote:
         | I also don't really get it. Looks too clear and sharp for a CD
         | reflection.
        
         | TaylorAlexander wrote:
         | Well I noticed it's a CD-RW which is a peculiar device, so
         | maybe it doesn't reflect the same as normal CDs.
        
       | superhuzza wrote:
       | I really like how her hack doesn't involve using another video
       | feed, which makes it a lot more accessible to anyone with a
       | laptop.
       | 
       | One improvement I can see - maybe better to tape the pencil with
       | the eraser point up, so you're less likely to accidentally stab
       | yourself with the pencil if moving the laptop or CD?
        
       | Pfhreak wrote:
       | Clever. But also tragic. The poor teachers who have been caught
       | in the middle of all this really make me feel sad.
       | 
       | Teaching is already a rough gig, and being forced to improvise
       | with limited to no support from communities, schools, or
       | governments.
        
         | notatoad wrote:
         | Being forced to improvise with limited support is a fairly
         | normal situation for teachers tbh.
        
       | golergka wrote:
       | Wouldn't writing on that transfer the pressure through the
       | notebook to the keyboard? How would you avoid random key presses?
        
       | joezydeco wrote:
       | My kid has an Osmo kit that did the same trick with a little
       | mirrors that fit an iPad perfectly:
       | 
       | https://www.playosmo.com
        
       | blackrock wrote:
       | Clever. Now someone from China needs to make a plastic mirror
       | reflection mount device to put on top of your laptop camera.
        
       | seraphsf wrote:
       | My kids use an educational app series called Osmo, which comes
       | with a reflector like this for iPad (1). Field of view and
       | distortion may be an issue, but I bet a vendor could easily make
       | something similar designed for this use case.
       | 
       | It also looks like there are $6 clip-on mirrors (2) that would
       | also do an admirable job, perhaps with more stability and control
       | than the pencil-balancing trick.
       | 
       | (1) Osmo - Base for iPad https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07JNZ4J67/
       | 
       | (2) Flexible 4" Clip On Mirror for Computer Monitor - Convex Desk
       | Mirror to See People Behind You - Perfect in Any Office Cubicle
       | Environment https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B078NB3JV2/
        
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       (page generated 2020-09-13 23:00 UTC)