Apple patents Pencil for non electronic surfaces

[HEXUS]

Pencil tracked by cameras and motion sensors could draw on your desk, or in the air.

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[shaithis]

For a moment, I thought Apple were patenting the original pencil

Wouldn't put it passed them either lol

[Friesiansam]

For a moment, I thought Apple were patenting the original pencil

Wouldn't put it passed them either lol

You're not the only one, as I looked at the tins, on the shelf above my desk, with over 200 pencils for use on non-electronic surfaces, i.e. paper.

[azrael-]

For a moment, I thought Apple were patenting the original pencil

Wouldn't put it passed them either lol

Well... the groundwork has been made. The "Pencil" would supplement this fantastically.

[Hoonigan]

For a moment, I thought Apple were patenting the original pencil

Let's focus on the real issue here - Hexus employing "click baiting" tactics in their article titles.

[peterb]

Let's focus on the real issue here - Hexus employing "click baiting" tactics in their article titles.

Well, it’s not difficult - just mention Apple and the comments just flow in! It’s a classic Pavlovian response!

[LSG501]

So they've basically patented what schools have been using for ages if they have smart boards....
Most of the smart boards in schools use a 'sensor system' to track position etc.

[Ttaskmaster]

It’s a classic Pavlovian response!

I quite like the occasional pavlova... Of course the classic is strawberry, not apple.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I am waiting for Apple to sue Helix as they make pencil shaped pencils.

[Pob255]

Well the main advantage I can see for this is as a 3d digitizer but if it's tracking sensors are 2 cameras/optical sensors ether side of a monitor then it makes 3d digitizing impossible because of line of sight. (try using a kinect from behind a sofa)
Even if the sensors are not optical I can foresee accuracy issues.

Oh and this isn't really the same as the interactive whiteboard used in schools, they are basically a giant graphics tablet screwed to the wall with a projector pointed at it.

There are some cheap interactive TV's that use a sort of sensor system around the frame, but they work off scanning IR light beams and rows of light detectors looking for interruption points so nothing like this.

Closest thing to this is probably the vive/occulus controllers

[Xlucine]

Most smart boards are massive tablets, but I have seen some that sucker onto a dumb board and use some kind of sensors (optical?) to track the pens. I saw them about a decade ago, so well established tech

[peterb]

Most smart boards are massive tablets, but I have seen some that sucker onto a dumb board and use some kind of sensors (optical?) to track the pens. I saw them about a decade ago, so well established tech

I think they use some sort of RF sensing between the board and the 'pencil'. The colour is selected by the holder the 'pencil' is removed from, but its been a long time since I saw one.

Personally I think chalk and a blackboard works pretty well!