Touch Recognition

Now the SMART Board is better than ever

Using the SMART Board interactive whiteboard has always been easy, and it just became even easier.

SMART’s new Touch Recognition feature allows the board to recognize your touch and switch modes for you automatically. You can write with a pen, erase with your palm and move objects around with your finger without having to access other tools, buttons or on-screen menus.

Easy does make a difference

Touch Recognition makes using the SMART Board interactive whiteboard a completely natural experience, and that has direct benefits for teaching and learning.

For teachers new to the SMART Board, this feature helps them become proficient more quickly. That’s because the intuitive flow of writing and erasing on the board is similar to how traditional chalkboards and whiteboards are used. And the sooner teachers become comfortable with the technology, the sooner they can start engaging students with interactive lessons.

Touch Recognition also has benefits for technology-savvy teachers. Instead of having to search for on-screen menus and shortcuts as they deliver lessons, they can concentrate on what really matters – teaching their students.

Watch Touch Recognition in action on TeacherTube or YouTube.

Frequently asked questions

When will Touch Recognition be available?
Touch Recognition will be available at the beginning of February 2009.

Which SMART Board 600 series interactive whiteboards come with Touch Recognition?
All 600 series boards now come with Touch Recognition, including the wide-format models (SB685 and SB690).

Is Touch Recognition available on SBD600 boards?
Touch Recognition is not currently available on SBD600 series boards. It will be possible to add Touch Recognition to SBD600 boards in January 2010 through an optional serial controller upgrade.

Which SMART Board 600i interactive whiteboard systems come with Touch Recognition?
The second- and third-generation SMART Board 600i interactive whiteboard systems now come with Touch Recognition, including the wide-format model (SB685i3).

How can I tell if a SMART Board interactive whiteboard has Touch Recognition?
There are several ways to tell if a SMART Board has the Touch Recognition feature:

All SMART Board interactive whiteboards with Touch Recognition have a serial number equal to or greater than
SB6XX-R2-650000
When a computer with SMART Board drivers service pack 4 is connected to a board with Touch Recognition, a notification bubble will appear informing the user that the board has this feature. The user can then click on the bubble to activate Touch Recognition.
When a computer with SMART Board drivers service pack 4 is connected to a board without this feature, the Touch Recognition check box in the settings menu will be grayed out

How can I download SMART Board drivers service pack 4?
SMART Board drivers service pack 4 is currently available for Windows and Mac operating systems. Click on the following links to begin the download:

Is it possible to add Touch Recognition to an older SMART Board 600 series interactive whiteboard or SMART Board 600i interactive whiteboard system?
An older 600 series board or a second- or third-generation 600i board can be upgraded by replacing its SC9 controller with a new SC9 controller from SMART.

You can purchase new SC9 controllers from an authorized SMART reseller. All SC9 controllers ordered after January 5, 2009, will ship with Touch Recognition. To activate this feature, the latest version of SMART Board drivers must be downloaded and installed.

Please note the following limitations:

Only the SMART Board 600 series can be upgraded, and Touch Recognition cannot be activated on a first-generation 600i
Touch Recognition can only be activated by the latest version of SMART Board drivers. The feature will not be available if you are using an older version of SMART Board drivers.
Changing the SC9 controller takes approximately 15 minutes. Wall-mounted boards must be taken off the wall to make the change.