Tekeninput

Tekeninput is a form of human-computer interaction in which a pen-like device is used on a digital surface to create strokes that are captured by the device. It covers drawing, handwriting, annotation and signature capture, and is often used as an alternative or complement to keyboard and mouse input. In practice, tekeninput systems record the sequence of points that make up each stroke and may include data such as pressure, tilt, azimuth and timestamp. This enables not only the look of a stroke but also attributes that influence rendering and recognition, such as line width that varies with pressure or stroke dynamics.

Technologies and data: Several technologies enable tekeninput. Electromagnetic resonance (EMR) digitizers, used in Wacom-style tablets, detect the pen without a battery. Capacitive, pressure-sensitive styluses rely on the touchscreen. Many devices use active pens connected by Bluetooth or a native protocol and provide features such as tilt sensing, palm rejection, and low latency. Stroke data can be stored as vector paths or as samples, and may be passed to handwriting recognition and ink rendering engines.

Hardware and standards: Popular ecosystems include Windows Ink on Windows devices, Apple Pencil on iPadOS, and USI-compatible pens on Chromebooks. API surfaces such as Windows Ink, PencilKit and Android stylus support define how apps access pressure, tilt and other pen attributes.

Applications and considerations: Tekeninput is widely used in digital art, note-taking, education, design, and forms with signature capture. It offers a natural input modality and high-precision control, but depends on compatible hardware, software, and perceived latency. Costs, calibration, and interoperability can affect user experience.