Robohub.org
 

Draw precise freehand circles and copy paste drawings with the dePENd table


by
29 November 2012



share this:
12-0215-r

This table helps you to draw precise freehand circles and lines. It is under development by a group in the Yasuaki Kakehi Lab at Keio University.

By using a computer to control the XY position of a magnet under the surface of the table, it implements, on paper, drawing methods utilized in computer graphics.

“I’ll place an ordinary ballpoint pen on the table. Now, I can semi-automatically draw a precise circle, or a straight line, or an illustration prepared in advance. In other words, while I draw with the pen, this system lets me switch to accurate rendering like in computer graphics, such as drawing a precise circle, by assisting me with the pen.”

When drawing, you can use a regular ballpoint pen with a metal tip, or a digital pen. If you use a ballpoint pen, the position where you start drawing has to correspond with the origin on the XY grid, but if you use a digital pen, the system recognizes its location and you can start drawing from any position.

“The digital pen understands the coordinates of the pen position. So, you can start from where you want, and also save and copy the picture you’ve drawn. This means you can copy and paste your original drawing repeatedly.”

“Apart from drawing figures that require precision, we think this system will have various applications. For example, in distance education, students could learn to draw by feeling the sensation of how a teacher draws.”

“Rather than limiting ourselves to pens, we’d like to extend this project to other items used with paper, such as scissors and compasses. We hope to bring in digital technology to assist users with those, too.”



tags:


DigInfo TV is a Tokyo-based online video news platform dedicated to producing original coverage of cutting edge technology, research and products from Japan.
DigInfo TV is a Tokyo-based online video news platform dedicated to producing original coverage of cutting edge technology, research and products from Japan.


Subscribe to Robohub newsletter on substack



Related posts :

Robot Talk Episode 145 – Robotics and automation in manufacturing, with Agata Suwala

  20 Feb 2026
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Agata Suwala from the Manufacturing Technology Centre about leveraging robotics to make manufacturing systems more sustainable.

Reversible, detachable robotic hand redefines dexterity

  19 Feb 2026
A robotic hand developed at EPFL has dual-thumbed, reversible-palm design that can detach from its robotic ‘arm’ to reach and grasp multiple objects.

“Robot, make me a chair”

  17 Feb 2026
An AI-driven system lets users design and build simple, multicomponent objects by describing them with words.

Robot Talk Episode 144 – Robot trust in humans, with Samuele Vinanzi

  13 Feb 2026
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Samuele Vinanzi from Sheffield Hallam University about how robots can tell whether to trust or distrust people.

How can robots acquire skills through interactions with the physical world? An interview with Jiaheng Hu

and   12 Feb 2026
Find out more about work published at the Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL).

Sven Koenig wins the 2026 ACM/SIGAI Autonomous Agents Research Award

  10 Feb 2026
Sven honoured for his work on AI planning and search.

Robot Talk Episode 143 – Robots for children, with Elmira Yadollahi

  06 Feb 2026
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Elmira Yadollahi from Lancaster University about how children interact with and relate to robots.

New frontiers in robotics at CES 2026

  03 Feb 2026
Henry Hickson reports on the exciting developments in robotics at Consumer Electronics Show 2026.



Robohub is supported by:


Subscribe to Robohub newsletter on substack




 















©2026.02 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence