Skip to Content

Mightier Pen

Even digerati spend some time unplugged, jotting notes on paper. British Telecom has demonstrated a pen that converts scribbling motion into digital characters. Unlike the stylus found on personal digital assistants, “Smart Quill” uses ink and writes on paper. A couple of built-in accelerometers record your hieroglyphics. Back at the office, dip Smart Quill into an electronic “inkwell” that delivers the jottings to your PC. The computer interprets the motion data as text.

A prototype correctly interprets writing 95 percent of the time, says project manager John Collins at British Telecom Laboratories in Ipswich, England; but the goal is “high 90s.” Collins says British Telecom is looking for a partner to bring Smart Quill to market.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.

“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.

What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines

New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.

Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats

With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure

Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation

From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.