Use Mobile Devices to Wirelessly Operate Computers

Mobile computing devices, such as tablets, smartphones, PDAs, and game remote controllers, become very popular in our daily life. This article discusses how to turn these devices, more specifically smartphones and Nintendo Wii remotes (in short as Wiimote), into computer remote controllers. In the smartphone-based system, a smartphone is extended to be the computer’s wireless keyboard and mouse. The smartphone and the computer talk to each other through either wireless Ad Hoc or Wi-Fi access point network. In the Wiimote-based system, a Wiimote is turned into computer’s mouse, where the user moves the mouse cursor by waving the Wiimote in air, and generates mouse events through Wiimote buttons. The Wiimote communicates with the computer through Bluetooth. These systems can be used in conference rooms, classrooms, project seminar rooms, and even people’s living rooms, where a projector screen or a big-screen TV serves as the computer monitor.