Handspy

HandSpy is a web-based application for recording and analyzing online writing data.

To collect the data, HandSpy uses smartpens and microdotted paper. The pen has an infrared camera pointed at its nib, which, allied to thousands of microdots printed on the paper, enables the recording of spatial and temporal coordinates about the pen trace. This procedure not only records the writer’s pauses and bursts but also reproduces in real time everything that was written.

What is HandSpy and how to log in?

HandSpy is a free web-based application that measures several online aspects of text production.

If you wish to become a HandSpy user, ask for credentials by sending an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you already are a HandSpy user, log in: Go to the HandSpy’s website, and insert your username, password, and project (notice that usernames and passwords are case-sensitive). Then, click on the “Login” button.

Once you are logged in, you can find, beneath HandSpy's logo, the program's three main tabs: Project, Upload, and Analysis. By default, you will enter in the “Project” tab. On the bottom of this page, you can check the project's users, administrator, description and when the last update took place. On the top of the page, there is your username, as well as information on which project you are currently logged in. To log out, just press the "Logout" button.

For an optimal HandSpy experience, we recommend the use of Google Chrome.

Click here to access HandSpy's website, and here to visit Handspy's Youtube channel.