developing technology.

"when technology delivers basic needs, user experience dominates"don norman

Early on in my development stage I defined the aim of my project from a technological perspective:

to enable the user to transfer handwriting from one location to another.

My first steps towards achieving this goal was experimenting with the capabilities and constraints of a graphics tablet.

The tablet allows you to compose emails such as this:

 

Many people , who are not comfortable typing with keyboards, use these tablets for writing essays etc. Others use it for graphic design and drawing etc. Using the tablet takes a little getting used to - when used like a normal pen and pencil it works perfectly. When you are conscious of the technology involved and where you are placing the 'pen' things don't work so smoothly.

fuzzmail.

What is it? fuzzmail records the act of writing and lets you send it as an email. Dynamic changes, typoes, pauses and writeovers are captured and communicated. Fuzzmail was created because the makers wanted a more emotionally expressive alternative to email, so that an emailed love letter does not have to look the same as a business letter.

Fuzzmail is free to use! You just start typing a message and fuzzmail will record what you type. When you're done, click "send" to stop recording and send your message. The recipient will get a private web link to read the message replayed in the way that you typed it. a copy of the fuzzmail you wrote will be sent to you at your email address.

I was able to use the code behind this design to manipulate the way the words appeared, colours and timing etc.

writing with light.

This was an experiment evolving from the idea of 'creating art and beauty with a computer' .The idea of writing with light is explored by the Graffitti Research Lab who make the codes for the programming available for download.

These images show my exploring of laser tag technology. I tested this experiment with users to investigate the perception of the laser pen and 3.dimensional text in comparison with letter writing. The results showed that this felt much more like a game and users were unlikely to write anything meaningful when using the laser pen, in comparison to writing letters.

In its simplest form the Laser Tag system is a camera and laptop setup, tracking a green laser point across a wall and generating graphics based on the laser's position which then get projected back onto the building with a high power projector.

I order to acheive this I fixed the projector in place and then fixed the camera underneath the lens of the projector so that it is looking at the projection area.

anoto technology.

Paper is known as the oldest medium in the book and scientists are redrawing the map of the networked world. Handwritten information is no longer locked in a form. All types of ordinary paper can take advantage of anoto technology. To make the paper digitally legible a patent-protected dot pattern from anoto is added before printout.

The pattern above is almost invisible to the naked eye, the anoto pattern consists of numerous intelligent small black dots that can be read by a digital pen. The pattern indicates the exact positions of the digital pen. The pattern on each paper has a unique identity so that each page can be kept separate from another.

From ink to digital data seems quick and easy. It seemed to be a technology that could potentially be at the core of my concept. A digital pen looks and feels like using its normal ballpoint counterparts. However, it contains an integrated digital camera, an advanced image microprocessor and a mobile communications device for wireless connection. When using a digital pen you capture, store and then securely send the handwriting.

What happens when you’re writing? When writing digital snapshots of the pattern on the paper are automatically taken (in fact, more than 50 pictures per second). every snapshot contains enough data to determine the exact position of the pen and what it writes or draws, including the time each pen stroke was made as well as which particular paper form was written on. All this data is then retained in the pen’s memory as a series of coordinates. the pen can store up to 50 full A4/Letter size pages of handwritten data.

Transferring the data from the pen can be achieved wirelessly: by ticking a box on the paper, interpreted by the pen as a “send” command, the pen will use Bluetooth to instantly send data via a mobile phone.

projecting handwriting.

This experiment enabled me to explore how old projectors work, how the slides could be manipulated and how the quality of handwriting changed when projected.

digital anywhere.

This digital pen enables the user to write anywhere, on any paper or surface and the writing is then sent to PC. The pen was very sensitive but it fun pushing the boundaries of surfaces to write on and the distance the signals travels.

sound modules.

I used this 10mm sound module to test the quality of audio recordings using voice. Natural speech is also a very personal and I was drawn to the idea of being able to transport voice as well as hand writing. This concept is very simple and is similar to the gift cards who product a sound upon opening.

the pantograph.

"Pantograph" is a drawing instrument to magnify figures. Tracing the original figure by moving one point, can automatically obtain the magnified figure with the pen at the other point. The ratio of magnification can be experimented with when the lengths of the arms differ.

 

This short clip shows the prototype i created using a digital pen and PC software to simulate handwriting traveling over a distance and appearing on an object belonging to the recipient.

The object behind Douceurs will contain an element that will add value to the experience of the sender and receiver. Concepts involve integrating a subtle dial into the material of the envelope, which the users would turn to indicate the year to pass before delivery.

rfid.

RFID or Radio Frequency IDentification is a technology based on the transmission and reception of radio frequency (RF) signals between a transmitter or Reader and a transponder or Tag. In most cases the transmission is two-way, the transmitter sends signals, which the transponder receives, the transponder then transmits a response signal that is received by the transmitter. The information from the transmitter can then be used to identify the transponder and any item it is attached too.

RFID Readers, and Tags work in many frequencies and are available in either Active or Passive formats.

Active transponders are battery powered. This gives them much longer response distances and as such the transponders can be read over a greater range in some circumstances several 10’s of meters. However active transponders are typically expensive and as such are generally used on items such as vehicles, shipping containers and assets where access is restricted. Being battery-powered they have a limited lifetime.

Passive transponders take the power they to need to respond from the electromagnetic signals transmitted by the reader. The electromagnetic signals have two components, a magnetic or inductive field (known as the H-Field) and the electric or capacitive field (known as the E-Field).

The most common frequencies for Inductively coupled transponders are 125 -134.2 KHz, known as Low Frequency or LF and 13.56MHz known as High Frequency or HF. The H-Field is well defined and able to penetrate most materials however, the strength of this field falls off quickly giving limited read ranges.

HF is more commonly used in applications where the transponder needs to be thin and easily converted in to a label, applications such as item tracking, document tracking and access control suit HF well.

Systems operating with the electric field operate in the range of 860 – 960MHz which is known as Ultra High Frequency or UHF . The pattern of the E-Field is less well defined and its strength doesn't’t fall off, as quickly. As such, long read ranges are possible. However UHF systems do suffer signal loss or attenuation through materials and as such are not as good at penetration. So, these systems are more likely to be used in case and pallet tracking, tracking large items through the supply chain and in the retail sectors.

This is an example of an RFID integrated into paper.

Printronix Smart Labels combine the technology of thermal-transfer, pressure-sensitive labels with RFID tags. They are available in many different sizes and antenna configurations . The labels can be manufactured to demanding specifications and quality tested to assure best performance.

RFID labels used in a RFID printer are a critical element of the RFID printer system. Label design, specifications and selection are of the utmost importance.

This technology potentially could play a large role in securing the safety of letters received by Douceurs.

This small sketch shows how rfid technology could be part of the Douceurs service.

properties of paper.

Paper possesses an unmatched combination of transportability, longevity and accessibility. This strength and durability of paper in strong area of research for his project.

The properties of paper facilitate many socially ingrained behaviours and practices- such as the smoothness, the weight and the texture. These tables show my findings :

Typical Grammage values. Grade.	g/m2
Newsprint	40-50
Tissue	22-25
Bond	60-90
Paperboard	120-300
Accepted trade tolerance +/- %5

 

Typical Thickness Value	μm
Grade
Newsprint	60-80
Business Paper	105-110
Blotting Paper (230g/m2)	540-590
Tracing Paper (90 g/m2)	78
Label Paper (79 g/m2)	63
Tissue (28 g/m2)	125
Accepted trade tolerance +/- 10%

I decided friction was an important aspect to consider as the letter will be in the envelope for such as length of time. Friction is the resisting force that occurs between two paper or paperboard surfaces in contact when the surfaces are brought to slide against each other. This property is measured as a coefficient of friction, which is the ratio of the frictional force, to a force acting perpendicular to the two surfaces.

Co-efficient of Friction values	Static Friction	Kinetic Friction
Business paper	0.50 – 0.65	0.35 – 0.5
Silk coated paper	0.45 – 0.55	0.30 – 0.45
Gloss coated paper	0.40 – 0.50	0.30 – 0.40

Two components of friction can be measured, these being static and kinetic friction. Static friction is the force resisting initial motion between the surfaces and kinetic friction is the force resisting motion of the two surfaces sliding against each other when already sliding at a constant speed.

Measurement of the coefficient of friction has applications in packaging where a high coefficient will indicate that containers such as sacks, bags and paperboard containers will resist sliding in unit loads or on packaging lines. This property is also important in printing papers, since a specific coefficient of friction is needed so that individual sheets will slide over each other, otherwise double press feeding may result.

There are two methods of measuring Co-efficient of friction of paper. One, which uses Incline Plane is explained in TAPPI T 548 & T815, the second method, which uses Horizontal Plane is explained in TAPPI T 549 & T816.

"Paper is a proven archival material, more resilient than CDs or hard-drives." moleskin

technology opportunities.

manufacturing: ( how the object is made- laser cutting, testing material properties, processes such as etching and welding. etc)

service delivery: ( eg. rfid tag )

service touchpoints: (full working website and eg. interactive post box) this will assist in making the service transparent to users - perhaps a user will be able to 'see if they will receive Douceurs mail this year?'

'back-end technology': a system to archive and deliver the letters automatically as the deliver date arrives. I can learn about this technology by researching current distribution and fulfillment systems. An example follows:

"This new decade marks a revolution in Publication Distribution Service' international mail capabilities. With the formation of Flexible International Mail Systems, Inc., in 2003, the PDS network of global mailing points was infused with state-of-the-art technology. From the time a publisher’s mailing list is received until publications are speeding along to subscribers around the world, technology is used throughout the entire mailing process.

Technological innovations have helped PDS optimize mail routes, reduce handling costs and turnaround times, and offer clients an international mailing service that’s unmatched by any other provider. As a result, the company is well positioned to remain an industry leader for many years to come, delivering innovative solutions that help their clients grow and succeed."