Digital pen aims to ‘Phree’ users from paper

For too long, the founders of an Israeli start-up believe, people have been dependent on pen and paper and later on screens. But the developers of Phree aim to upgrade the process of recording text and images with technology that expands the boundaries of self-expression.

True to its name, the pen-like Phree lets users write notes, draw pictures, or doodle anything on any surface and see the image or words appearing on their Bluetooth-connected device.

“We live in a world of screens that we’ve come to rely on for everything from our work to our personal lives, but oftentimes our imaginations are confined by these same screens,” said Gilad Lederer, co-CEO and co-founder of OTM Technologies. “Phree goes beyond the screen to help your imagination go digital, free of constraints.”

According to OTM Technologies, which invented the device, “the feedback we receive from users who tried Phree is that it feels just like a pen or pencil. The design is very comfortable to hold and the tip slides with slight friction, similar to a pen. Also, you can rest your hand palm on the surface as in a natural hand position so we hope you can use Phree extensively.”

That users like the feeling is evidenced by the overwhelming success of the device in its Kickstarter campaign. Barely a week into its fundraising campaign, Phree has gotten $300,000 in support from enthusiastic fans – three times its overall $100,000 goal, and still with over five weeks left on its campaign.

Besides connecting with computers and devices, Phree also works in tandem with such top apps as Office, OneNote, EverNote, Acrobat, Google Handwriting Keyboard, Viber and others. Users can receive text messages on their device, and immediately respond to them with their “pen” – meaning that they don’t have to take out their phone or tablet and type onscreen. Users will be able to integrate what they write into apps as text if it is in English, or as an image if in a foreign language that Phree does not understand.

The key to Phree is in a laser interferometry system that tracks the relative motion of a nearby surface by measuring the interference signal between a laser beam projected on the surface and the reflections from the surface. The motion is then sent to a small chip where it is processed and translated into code, and then transmitted to connected devices.

“An open API allows developers to make use of the screen for specific interaction with their applications,” said the company. “The API provides access to additional sensor information such as vertical (Z) motion data, as well as access to the accelerometer,” thus providing a complete package, from motion to final appearance of text or image on a device.

“The real world applications for Phree are limitless and we’re excited to see how the development community finds new ways to incorporate it into their own work once they get their hands on it,” said Opher Kinrot, co-CEO and co-founder of OTM Technologies. “From being able to truly work from a coffee shop to interacting in virtual reality, we foresee Phree becoming a vital part of one’s work and entertainment experiences.”