TECHNOLOGY: HARDWARE

This study uses Io digital pens made by Logitech, writing on special paper based on Anoto's technology. The Io pen contains a camera that reads the pattern on the paper, and records the sequence of the tip being pressed.

Digital Pen and Paper System

Using special paper printed with a unique pattern of subtle dots, the designer draws on the paper with the Io pen.

Pressing the pen tip to paper activates a camera that records the location of the pen tip amidst the non-repeating pattern.

Once the pen is "docked" to the desktop computer, the images stored on the pen are saved to the computer and removed from the pen.

Alternate Products

Before we selected the Io pen, we looked at the TabletPC (too expensive), an iPaq palmtop with WindowsPC (too small) and the Seiko Inklink System (not reliable). Other companies developing products with the Anoto technology include Nokia and Sony Ericsson. The Nokia pen is designed to use Bluetooth wireless technology to connect with mobile phones, but use a docking station for connection to a PC. The Sony Ericsson Chatpen was marketed in Europe but appears to be discontinued. Neither was available in the U.S. when this grant was developed.

You can see additional applications for the Logitech Io pen in the Logitech Io Forum.