Harvard University to Demonstrate new web-enabled voting technology using Pen and Paper

An internet-enabled pen and paper-based technology for voting and survey research will be introduced at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government in February

CHICAGO, IL February 10, 2004--Business Systems Engineering, (BSE), a Chicago-based company, has created a internet-enabled pen and paper-based technology for survey research and voting applications which will be introduced at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University starting February 17, 2004.

Gary Flowers, Vice President of Programs for Jesse Jacksons Rainbow/PUSH Coalition will utilize Digital Pen and Paper technology during his 2004 class on coalition politics to survey his students on campaign issues and candidate rankings during the 2004 presidential primary season.

Digital Pen and Paper technology allows survey research and voting to be conducted with a paper and pen interface, yet the process creates electronic documentation. A digital pen uses ballpoint ink and has a camera and microprocessor inside which takes 50 digital snapshots per second. The pen also date and time stamps every pen stroke and when inserted in a docking station, all information is transferred to a PC in a matter of seconds.

The benefits of Digital Pen and Paper Technology for survey and voting applications include:

-    Inside the pen, all completed surveys/voting ballots are saved as electronic image files capturing everything exactly as it is written on a piece of paper. In other words, a digital double of each page is transmitted for display on a computer screen for visual comparison, if necessary
-    Information collected in the pens can be transmitted over the internet or into any database or software application
-    Information is transmitted and analyzed in seconds
-    Handwriting recognition and biometric identification is built into the pen. The pen date and time stamps every single pen stroke and measures pressure and photographs the writing angle 50 times per second.

As opposed to punch card and touch screen systems, digital pen and paper surveys and voting ballots dont require much in the way of instruction. Accurate and reliable data capture is as simple as picking up a pen and writing on a piece of paper.

The Harvard Project was created by Flowers, along with BSE Managing Partner Nathan Paige and BSE Chief Technology Officer Michael Ford. BSE, a Chicago-based systems integration firm, has been involved in creating technology solutions for numerous governmental entities including the City of Chicago.
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