Digitizer: what it is, how it works, how it works

The modern technical market is full of different kinds of gadgets and electronic equipment. The choice of buyers, mainly depends on the purpose of using the devices. Back in the 70s of the last century, a miracle of technology appeared in the commercial sphere - a digitizer. What is it and what it is for, today, alas, not everyone knows. Let's try to understand.

About the device

Discarding fancy technical terms, the digitizer can be defined as a graphic tablet that converts a finished, paper or vector image into a digital format. But do not confuse it with the usual scanner.

The digitizer consists of a touch screen (actually a tablet) and a drawing device (pen, stylus, cursor, etc.). The work on such a device can be accommodated in two actions:

• Placing the image on the screen;
• Fixing the coordinates of the pen or cursor on the tablet.

In the case of animation, you only need professional possession of the stylus.

Types

The technology of inputting graphic information in digitizers is different. In this regard, there are five types of devices:

1. Acoustic. This is one of the first graphic tablets. The drawing pen generated so-called sound sparks that caught the microphones of the screen. Thus, the device determined the coordinates of the information. An essential drawback of working with the tablet was that the input of information needed to be done in absolute silence, since acoustic noise could spoil the picture. This type of digitizer is known for the production of a number of devices under the general name Spark Tablet.
2. Electromagnetic. The design of such tablets was slightly simpler and more productive than the previous models. Under the surface of the screen passed a wire mesh, emitting weak electromagnetic signals. The feather caught them, and so it happened fixing its location. This category of devices include the RAND Tablet, which appeared in 1964.
3. Passive cursor. The same principle of electromagnetic induction was used, only in these devices the wire mesh transmitted signals and accepted them. Input of information occurred when the pen was pressed and contactless. The drawing device did not require power. It was a technical breakthrough. An example of such a device can be a Wacom graphics tablet.
4. Active cursor. In this device, the signal generator is moved to the pen. Accordingly, he needs food. The electrical signals produced a sharper image than the electromagnetic signals. This category of devices was presented by FinePoint Innovations.
5. Touch digitizer - these are modern devices. Under the screen surface, they contain coordinate wires. They are separated by a thin insulator. Under pressure on the stylus conductivity changes. The sensitive screen is susceptible to both the coordinates and the pressing force of the drawing device. Some systems allow you to digitize 3D objects.

Of course, emphasis should be placed on the characterization of sensory devices. According to the type of information scanning, an ultrasonic, magnetic and laser touch screen-digitizer is distinguished. The first is less accurate and reliable, since the speed of sound here directly depends on the temperature, air pressure and other surrounding phenomena.

Magnetic digitizers are more accurate, but are sensitive to metal objects that are near (chairs, computers, various equipment). Such interference may cause distortion of the picture.

And, finally, laser digitizers are the most accurate, but expensive today. However, these devices also have a number of limitations. They can not digitize objects with a reflective, bright or concave surface.

In addition, today in the technical market you can find hard and flexible digitizers. The latter were presented in 1994. They are lighter, more compact when transported. The power supplies in them can be either built-in or external.

Selection

It is important to remember, when choosing a digitizer, that this is a serious and expensive device that should immediately meet the individual requirements of the user. It is necessary that external reliability corresponds to internal characteristics. Quality drivers, support for necessary software and a convenient pointing device - these are the three whales on which the buyer's choice should be based. Modern companies-leaders in the production of digitizers in the technical market are Genius. Hitachi, CalComp, Wacom. They create graphic tablets with different interface, operating system, diagonal.

Separately it is necessary to talk about pointing devices.

Cursors

Today, pointing out (or drawing) devices are represented by two types: cursors and feathers. The first are very popular. Depending on the model, they can have 4, 8, 12 or 16 buttons. However, some manufacturers (for example, One Graphics) add one more button - "the most important". But, as practice shows, the simpler the device, the more convenient, reliable and more popular it is for users. Therefore, devices with four buttons are more successful than their progressive counterparts. Such models belong to CalComp.

According to experts, the choice of the cursor should be associated not only with the ease of management and the number of buttons, but also correlate with the programs used. In this case, it's appropriate to talk about AutoCAD.

Feathers

These devices are considered more convenient and sensitive. They provide only one, two or three buttons and respond to the pressure of the hand. Feathers are the ideal drawing tools for artists and animators. The degree of pressure on the pen is manifested in a change in the thickness of the line, the color, the shade. Having mastered this trick, the user can imitate drawing with watercolor, oil paints or tempera. However, special programs are needed to implement such masterpieces.

The choice of feathers is determined subjectively. Some users like the devices that the Wacom graphics tablet offers. They are relatively thin and light. Another is to taste heavy and balanced branded feathers Kurta.

All pointing devices can be wired and wireless. The latter require power from the batteries, and therefore are heavier. A successful attempt to correct this deficiency has become models with external power.

However, do not forget about the passive feathers from the manufacturer Wacom, which are the host, not the giver. True, these devices are less sensitive to pressure.

Consumer Issues

It is not difficult to estimate the range of possibilities that a digitizer has. What is it and what is it for - the main questions of consumers. Its main purpose is professional graphic work, where it is necessary to transform the movements of the operator's hand into digital graphics. Therefore, it is very simple to determine the audience of demand. They are designers, computer artists, animators, architects, who need automated design. However, even in the last century, the tablet digitizer was widely used in commerce. Today this sphere can concern real estate, transport, etc.

There are still questions that customers often ask: "What can plotters and digitizers do and why do they often get them together?" Here you can draw an analogy with the scanner and printer. If the digitizer receives and digitizes the information, after which the user can make adjustments to the image on the computer with the help of certain programs, the plotters are a kind of printers. They output information from the digital format to the finished, paper. These devices also differ in types, characteristics, etc.

Summary

Easy, clear and accessible to everyone management - perhaps, the most important feature, which has a digitizer. What is it and what is needed, we learned. It is clear that there is no analogue to such devices yet. Of course, you can use conventional scanners. However, for professional 3D design, digitizers remain the most ideal.