DEFINITION

A smart quill is an intelligent pen that can remember the words that it is used to write, and then transform them into computer text. The pen records the information inserted by the user .

INVENTOR
Lyndsay Williams of Microsoft Research's Cambridge UK lab is the inventor of the Smart quill. The idea that it would be need to put all of a handheld-PDA type computer in a pen. Encouraged by Nigel Ballard she took her prototype to the British telecommunications research lab , where she was promptly hired and given money and institutional support for her project.

COMPONENTS

Accelerometer Microprocessor LCD LED head light AAA battery Touch button Speaker Mic

DIAGRAM SHOWING ITS COMPONENTS

WORKING
Smart quill is slightly larger than an ordinary fountain pen. Users can enter information into these applications by pushing a button on the pen and writing down what they would like to enter . The really clever bit of the technology is its ability to read handwriting not only on paper but on any flat surface-horizontal or vertical.

Technical Specification

Display Technology Handwriting Recognition and verification Display scrolls using tilt screen Communication with other devices Memory Power

Signature

Display Technology
The pen is slightly larger than ordinary fountain pen .The data can also be read on a tiny screen on the side of the pen there is small 3 to 4 line screen to read the information store in the pen .The screen lies on the barrel of pen.

Handwriting Recognition & Signature Verification

If someone else picks your smartquill and try to write with it it wont. Because user can train the pen to recognize a particular handwriting. Smart Quill works by measuring the pens movement and matching them to the movements that produce letters and words programmed into its memory.

How it is work?
Working of Accelerometer:This technology uses a device called accelerometer which is used for measuring motion. This is used to detect the stops, stars, arcs and loops and then transmit this information to a small microprocessor that would make sense of it as text. It records movement by using the earth gravity system, whether you write on paper or in air .

TYPES OF ACCELEROMETER

2axes:- This accelerometer measure acceleration

in two axes. Example of two axes accelerometer is ADXL202 accelerometer.

3axes:-This

accelerometer measures acceleration in three axes. An example for three axes accelerometer is Tronics +/-2g accelerometer.

Handwriting Transcription
In this phase, the recorded acceleration signals are then transcipted to its original form . Here this aspect is solved using simple double integration method in order to retrace the pen tip movement on paper.

Display scrolls using tilt sensors

By tilting the pen, user can choose application and scroll through with out using scroll buttons. This was done by using Micro Electromechanically Systems (MEMS) tilt sensors to measure tilt angle to earth.

Communication with other devices

The pen works in conjunction with a regular PC. It can hooks up to a PC via a cable and electronic docking station called an inkwell. It can also be connected to printer and modem.

Memory
Smart Quill has 4MB EEPROM memory. At a time ,up to 10 pages of notes can be stored locally on the pen . The data is stored in the memory on the pen until it is uploaded to the personal computer .

Power

AAA Battery :-Antiaircraft Arbitrary Battery Size:-44.5mm Long and 10.5mm in diameter Weight:-11.5 gm

DIGITAL PEN....?
A digital pen is a battery-operated writing instrument that allows the user to digitally capture a handwritten note or drawing. The pen looks like a regular ball-point pen and can be used as such, but requires special digital paper if the user wishes to digitally capture what he has written.

DIGITAL PEN

How smart quill differ from digital pen?

Smart quill:- Smart quill does not need special
writing pad.

Digital pen:- Digital pen need special writing pad.

Applications

Replace keyboard with Smart Quill Input to other device Handheld comp application voice recording

General Application

Write notes on paper - record in pen download to PC Database - names and addresses To Do list Clock and Alarms Calculator

SHORT COMINGS

Memory damage Difficult in correction Accelerometer damage Processor damage

Memory damage:-It would not work if there is

memory damage occur, it would not store any kind of data. Correction purpose:-It does not allow user to correct the mistakes on the pen .User can be correct his mistakes on the computer. Processor damage:-if Its processor would be damage it cannot convert the motion signal into text format. Accelerometer damage:- If accelerometer would be damaged that it cannot catch the motion of pen and cannot generate the motion signals after sense the movement of pen.

CONCLUSION
The future of Smart Quill ensures all computation power that user needs right inside the pen. People could use the pen in the office to replace a keyboard. It skip the typing and save our time.