Handemail

Handemail is a term used to describe the practice of creating and transmitting electronic mail through handwriting-based input or by converting handwritten content into digital text. It encompasses methods that connect traditional handwriting with modern email delivery, often using specialized hardware or software.

Two main approaches are commonly discussed. In the first, a user writes with a stylus on a digital surface such as a tablet; handwriting recognition converts the strokes to text that is sent as an email. In the second, a person writes on paper with a pen, and a digitizing pen, scanner, or camera captures the writing and optical character recognition (OCR) converts it into email content. Both approaches aim to preserve the human gesture of writing while producing a machine-readable message.

Handemail tools are available in consumer devices ranging from tablets with stylus support to smart pens and digitizing notebooks. The concept is used in contexts where natural handwriting helps drafting, where accessibility or learning workflows favor handwriting, or in archival practices that bridge paper and digital mail.

Benefits include a natural drafting process for some users and a convenient path from handwritten notes to email records. Challenges include recognition errors, punctuation and formatting issues, slower throughput than typing, privacy concerns, and dependence on specific hardware and software ecosystems.

Although not a standardized term, handemail intersects with handwriting recognition, OCR, and pen-based input research. It remains mainly of interest to users seeking a bridge between handwritten notes and electronic correspondence.