Instructions for Data Collection with Livescribe Smartpens

In here you can find the required software and materials to use HandSpy. This application allows you to record and analyze online handwriting data and for that you must have Livescribe smartpens.

To collect data suitable to be uploaded and analyzed with HandSpy, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Install the Livescribe desktop on a Windows PC.

This is available for free download at Livescribe’s website.

2. Install the HandSpy penlet on the smartpen

This is the application that collects spatial and temporal data (digital ink). Click here to download its latest version (0.2.3) and follow these steps to install it:

1.     Open the “HandSpy Installer” folder. Look for the file HandSpyInstaller.exe and execute it;

2.     Indicate the path to the files HWS.jar (the penlet's file) and HandSpy.afd which are inside the “Files” folder;

3.     Connect the smartpen to the dock and wait until it is recognized (its serial number will be displayed);

4.     Click "Install" and wait a few seconds. After the installation is complete, you will have the option to install another smartpen or to exit the application;

5.     If you want to install another one, repeat the procedure. Otherwise, click "Exit" to close the application.

3. Install the data capture tool on a Windows PC

This application allows the retrieving of the XML files from the smartpens. Click here to download the latest version of it (0.2.3) and keep this folder near the “HandSpy Installer” folder. Note that you will only use the “Data Capture” folder after collecting your data.

4. Download the paper sheets

The HandSpy penlet will only recognize the micro-dotted patterns of the paper sheets specifically created within HandSpy.

Two types of paper sheets are available for download:

Lined sheets, which can be used to collect data on several tasks, such as text production, alphabet writing, sentences copying, etc.

Single-word sheets, which were designed to collect data on tasks that involve the dictation or copy of single words (max = 60)

On the top of each page there is a box where participants can write their names or other information.

Each booklet has 200 pages numbered sequentially. Note that, if the same smartpen collects data from two pages with the same number, without downloading the data in-between, the second data collection will overwrite the first one. Thus, plan your data collection carefully in order to avoid data lost.

Preferable, the paper sheets should be printed on a laser printer using PostScript printer drivers, with a minimum resolution of 600 dpi, and without scaling. If you are not sure about your printer features, just print one page and test if data is recorded properly.

5. Retrieve the data from the smartpens

To retrieve the data from the smartpens to your Windows PC follow these steps:

1.     Open the “Data Capture” folder. Look for the file DataCapture.exe and execute it;

2.     Wait for the command prompt window to open. You should see the message “Please connect your pen to the dock…”;

3.     Connect the smartpen (the message “True” will appear when the smartpen is recognized) and wait while the data is downloaded;

4.     The “Recolha” folder (“Data collection”) will be created in your Desktop. Inside of it, you will find another folder named with the date of the data capture process (DD_MM_YYYY). This folder contains one XML file per each page collected with that smartpen;

5.     If you want to retrieve data from another pen, repeat the procedure. Otherwise, press “Enter” to close the application.