A Note on Anoto

The real technology behind the Datateq Digital Pen & Paper solution is not really the pen (although the pen is pretty cool). The real genius of the system is in the paper, or to be more precise, it’s on the paper.

The Digital Paper technology is enabled through a proprietary `Dot Pattern’ which was developed and is owned and licensed by Anoto AB of Sweden. Your Digital paper form is created by printing a proprietary pattern of very small dots on ordinary paper as part of the printing of your forms.

These dots create a grid of XY co-ordinates that the camera in the pen `reads’ and stores. Once the dot co-ordinates are sent to our servers, they are interpreted and displayed as the pen strokes, just like the original document itself.

The licensing to access this technology is an annual rental that is paid to Anoto AB on a per user basis. This licensing structure means that it is a fair and level playing field by allowing multiple companies to design, develop and deliver Digital Pen & Paper solutions. In most non-European countries, like Australia, there is a Country Agent who manages the distribution of dot pattern licenses for that country, they act in essence as a wholesaler.

Datateq specialises in delivering form data for the trade services sector. The fire protection industry is a core part of our business.