Digital Paper Learning Applications 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 sextillion squares (4.722 x )

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 ed, 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 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 $ –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 ed 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: Leapfrog. (n.d.). FLY® 1.0 Pentop Computer. Retrieved October 28, 2007, from LeapFrog Web site: Rover Technology Fusions. (2007). Note Amation. Retrieved 2007, from Schonfeld, E. (11). Tech News on ZD Net. Retrieved September 6, 2007, from Silberman, S. (2001, April). Wired Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2007, from Wired Magazine Web site: