DigitalPaper

LearningApplications

and

Randy Lisk

Florida Atlantic University

What is Digital Paper?

• New method of user interface• Uses ordinary paper• Special dot and grid pattern pre-printed

on the paper• Developed by Anoto, a Swedish firm

What Digital Paper Is Not

• Can be confused with electronic paper

• Also known as E-ink or flexible display technology

The Digital Pen

• Uses an ink pen with a tiny camera built into it

• Has a unique address assigned to it

• Similar to network IP address

The Digital Paper

• Designers created a “virtual map” of unique grid and dot patterns

• Variations in dot displacement on grid generate unique locations on the virtual map

• Thousands of dots per page

• Pattern can be printed on your own equipment (at 1000 dpi).

The Digital Paper

• Map of digital paper is about 1.8 million square miles.

• That is about ½ the size of the United States.

• Map has 4.722 sextillion squares (4.722 x 1021)

How Digital Paper Works

• Camera reads dot and grid pattern while the user writes notes, symbols, or drawings in ordinary handwriting.

• Pen stores the dot pattern that it has scanned while the user was writing in ink.

How Digital Paper Works

• Scanned information from the pen downloads files via– USB to computer docking station or– Bluetooth to a cell phone or PDA

• Files can be sent to optical character recognition software to produce ASCII text.

• Files (in data or text form) can be e-mailed, faxed, or published on web page.

Scope of Digital Paper

• Anoto hopes to form partnerships with paper and pen manufacturers as well as merchants

• Anoto will sell chunks of the “map” to merchants offering goods or services

• Consumers simply write on and check boxes on forms

Scope of Digital Paper

• Transaction data is transmitted to merchants via e-mail or fax

• Purchases via digital paper generate revenue for the paper companies, pen manufacturers, merchants, and Anoto

Advantages of Digital Paper

• Durable – probably less susceptible than a laptop to damage from dropping

• Portable – can be carried like any other pen

• Versatile – can be used for workbooks, forms, blank paper, other applications

• Easy to use – write your messages as you would on normal paper

Advantages of Digital Paper

• Readily adaptable to other languages– information is sent as images rather than Roman

alphabet text

• Mathematical equation characters can be written without complicated menus to select from

• Musical notes can be scribbled

• Sketches and diagrams can be drawn

Limitations of Digital Paper

• Does not directly produce ASCII text

• Stores pen strokes as images

• Continues to use paper

• Research materials do not indicate if or how mistakes can be erased

Cost of Digital Paper

• LeapFrog– Offers the FLYpen for about $50.00

– Package includes pen, games, paper, earphones, etc.

• Rover Technology Fusions– Sells NoteAmation for $1595.00

– Includes pen, 3 paper sizes, two leather, zippered portfolios, docking station, and software (possibly includes optical character recognition)

– NoteAmation digital paper sells for about $6.00 per pad

Digital Paper in the Classroom

• Can be incorporated into workbooks

• Workbook assignments can be completed, then e-mailed to teacher when finished.

• Drawings and notes can be shared between students and teachers.

• Permission slips could be transmitted to teachers

Digital Paper in the Classroom

• Programming TiVo, DVR, VCRs?– A TV guide might be printed with Anoto technology

– A check box next to a TV show title could be marked with the pen

– Pen transmits data to computer or to recording device

– Device records the show!

• Could offer an alternative to expensive, delicate laptops– Laptops are easy targets, especially with children to get

stolen or to be broken.

Resources

• Electronic Paper. (2007, September 4). Retrieved September 8, 2007, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_paper

• Leapfrog. (n.d.). FLY® 1.0 Pentop Computer. Retrieved October 28, 2007, from LeapFrog Web site: http://leapfrog.com/en/families/fly/fly_pentop_computer/fly_pen.html

• Rover Technology Fusions. (2007). Note Amation. Retrieved 2007, from http://rovertechfusions.com/roverink/noteamation.asp

• Schonfeld, E. (11). Tech News on ZD Net. Retrieved September 6, 2007, from http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-856627.html

• Silberman, S. (2001, April). Wired Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2007, from Wired Magazine Web site: http://wired.com/wired/archive/9.04/anoto_pr.html