Digital Ink Debuts n-Scribe

Digital Ink has begun to show off the n-scribe, an electronic pen that writes like a regular one, yet will be able to enter handwritten text and drawings into a Palm Powered handheld. It is a traditional ink pen combined with an electronic transmitter that lets users capture their pen strokes for electronic storage and communication, while at the same time allowing them to see what they are writing.

The n-scribe is expected to be available in the fall of this year with prices starting at $100.

n-scribe consists of a pen and its cover. The cover is removed from the pen and clipped to a writing surface. As the user writes, the pen emits infrared light, which is received by the two infrared sensors in the pen cover. Together, they work like a miniature global positioning system, constantly adjusting and transcribing the location of the pen in relationship to the two fixed points. The information is updated in real time, tracking the tip of the pen's movement so that whatever is written with the pen is immediately stored in its memory.

Users will be able to transmit information from the n-scribe to the Palm using the infrared port, a serial connection or, in the future, Bluetooth.

The n-scribe pen can store up to 1MB RAM (approximately 50 handwritten letter-size pages), support up to five hours of continuous use (approximately one week), and performs with accuracy greater than 0.5mm. Digital Ink plans to support handwriting recognition in the next version.

Article Comments

 (4 comments)

The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. PalmInfocenter is not responsible for them in any way.
Please Login or register here to add your comments.

Comments Closed Comments Closed
This article is no longer accepting new comments.

Down

FINALLY

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/19/2001 6:36:25 PM #
this is just so damn cool... finally something w/o the need for a special pad making it big and clumsy like the products out there currently...

but the biggest thing unfortunately won't be out until the next version... handwriting recognition... hrm i'd wait out for that. =)


RE: FINALLY
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/19/2001 10:16:41 PM #
Yep, this is awesome but I agree that the handwriting recognition is very important and I'll wait for that too

cool i guess

Andy @ 2/22/2001 6:21:58 AM #
this will be a cool new thing but i'm just not seeing the benifits oh well !!

Good IIdea But

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/31/2001 8:20:39 PM #
I have a seiko pad and love it which seems the same but
more mobile version. I cant keep my palm from shutting off in the middle of long meetings. I cant find any programs to keep it on. Seiko Tech support couldnt help I hope they considered this downfall.

RogueX

Top