We designed a computer pencil and tablet for Freestyle,TM a multimedia communications system based on handwritten annotations. Although graphics pens and tablets are already in use for handprinted character recognition and CAD applications, designing a pen and tablet specifically for rapid, continuous handwriting required substantial changes. Design criteria came from a laboratory study in which evaluators performed various writing and drawing tasks with a working pen and tablet. Evaluators rated the working system, plus model pens and tablets that were variants on a proposed design. Field observations of working prototypes also contributed to the final product.
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