The Platform
Solution Components
Key Features
Applications
Handwriting Interpretation

ExpeData Digital Writing Platform Overview

The ExpeData Digital Writing Platform (EDWP) combines the convenience of handwritten paper forms with the benefits of electronic data capture, transmission and storage. The Digital Writing Platform enables organizations to:

Immediately capture handwriting where it is written
Securely transmit it to the server
Convert the handwriting into crystal clear images and electronic text
Verify the system interpretation with highly efficient validation tools
Make the converted data available to their existing back-end systems in industry standard formats
Receive images of the form showing the original handwriting and/or the converted text
Use the EDWP as a standalone system or integrate it into their own systems using an extensive collection of industry standard APIs
Run the EDWP as an ASP for their customers

The above capabilities provide organizations with the most efficient workflow possible for their data capture and integration. The EDWP process is simple and outlined in the diagram.

The platform converts the handwriting to data in seconds, improving the accuracy and speed of data transfer from where the data is first captured to its availability in the back end systems. The ExpeData Digital Writing Platform uses industry standard output formats, xml for the data and PDF, TIF, GIF, PNG, JPG for the images making it compatible with systems across the enterprise and in any industry.

The EDWP offers flexible input options, as the digital pens can send the handwritten data through PCs or cell phones. Multiple output options are also provided, ranging from email and secure FTP for file transfer to a broad range of industry standard API’s enabling easy integration with the organizations’ back end systems. The EDWP is scalable, secure, reliable, accurate, internationalized, and flexible to meet customer needs.

Solution Components

The Paper
The paper used for the forms is regular paper with a printed patterned background. The pattern appears as shading to the naked eye, thus the form’s readability is unaffected. The unique pattern on each sheet ensures that the appropriate information correlates to the correct digital form. The pattern is capable of distinguishing over 70 trillion different forms.

The Pen
The digital pen is a ball point pen which captures handwriting as it is written through use of a built-in camera, and transmits the handwriting through a PC or cell phone for processing. The pen is secure and more durable than a PC or tablet. It can be used indoors or outdoors as it is unaffected by bright daylight or low light environments.

The ExpeData Digital Writing Server
The EDWP server correlates the handwriting with the correct digital form, converts the writing to text, and returns processed information to clients in the desired format. The Enterprise Server can be installed and configured in as little as a day, and is easy to administer. The product includes comprehensive documentation on installation and administration, and scalable configurability. The ExpeData Digital Writing Server can be deployed in multiple configurations. Customers can license an Enterprise Server for deployment at their own site, allowing data to be kept securely within their firewalls. Partners can license and operate the EDWP as an ASP for their customers.

The ExpeData Digital Writing Platform is complete and ready to be deployed as a stand-alone function. Additionally, a suite of programmable APIs is available. These APIs allow ExpeData’s stroke acquisition and handwriting interpretation capabilities to be fully integrated with existing programs and running in the background so that customers can take advantage of digital writing features without changing the interfaces to which their users are accustomed.

Data Viewing
Form Viewer and Field Viewer
Form Viewer and Field Viewer are web-based programs for viewing and verifying the interpreted data. Both programs are secure and offer complete audit trail reporting.

Form Viewer presents images of the form with the handwriting and interpreted data for reviewing and editing. From Form Viewer, users can; view documents, verify the handwriting interpretation, approve a document, seal the document against future writing, and print and e-mail images of the forms.

Field Viewer is designed to accelerate verification time. It presents fields one-by-one for easy examination, and shows the system’s interpretation of the handwriting in each field. Users may select a confidence filter option, which allows the system to identify the fields most likely to be interpreted accurately and not present them for verification. For instance, if the confidence level is set to 90%, Field Viewer will only present fields for verification where the system has an interpretation confidence level of lower than 90%. This feature can significantly reduce the number of fields requiring human review to only a few per form.

Key Features

Security
The ExpeData solution adds a level of security to handwriting which does not exist with traditional paper forms. After users write on the form, the system can require a password before the strokes are transmitted to the server for processing. Also, the handwriting is encrypted as it is transmitted to the server. Once the handwriting has been converted to text and the interpretations have been examined, the electronic forms can be locked, preventing them from receiving any additional handwriting or modifications.

security

Changes made by users can also be notated using color-coded ink. So, any new handwritten data can be reflected in a new color, providing the user a graphical means to audit changes made to a form.

The server software has a secure configuration and includes the features below.

Multi-tier architecture
Ability to embed the EDWP within a larger system using its security
Complete system monitoring capability
Data encryption – 128 bit SSL encrypted for all transmissions to and from client applications and web services

The server has a multi-tiered architecture, enabling placement of the database behind multiple levels of firewalls. For additional security, the system can be configured where no web services interact with the Internet and the database at the same time.

Audit logs are stored in the database for all actions. Advanced auditing capabilities keep track of all user interactions with the system, such as login events, viewing events, handwriting interpretation verification, and any data modification. These events are saved in an audit table and are made available to administrators for viewing and report generation.

Reliability
The system is protected from Internet connectivity problems or server downtime, as the local PC or phone will retain the handwritten data and continue to re-try the transmission until it successfully arrives at the server. To further ensure successful transmissions, clients can be provided with dual URLs for sending strokes, and the server configuration can be clustered.

Scalability
The system can be scaled to appropriately support a single user or thousands of users. It can acquire strokes at a rate of up to 8 stroke files per second, which represents support for approximately 500 simultaneous users per minute and 260,000 sheets per day on a single server. To achieve an even higher user volume, the server configuration can be clustered.

Accuracy
Because the handwriting interpretation is highly accurate and rapid, the product delivers a cost-effective conversion to machine-readable data. ExpeData is a world leader in handwriting interpretation, as the sophisticated proprietary technology produces interpretations 10%-20% more accurate than other products in the industry.

Datatypes
A datatype is assigned to each form field to produce accurate handwriting interpretation. For example, the system will interpret a city field for an address against a known list of cities. ExpeData’s datatype set offers a number of unique features. On a medical form, the system interprets the physician’s name field with a custom datatype containing a list of known physicians at the hospital. If a new physician joins the staff, that name can be easily added by the end user to the list of interpretation candidates. In addition, a large set of graphical datatypes are available. The example below shows a thermometer printed on a digital form. Users can check a temperature point on the form with the digital pen, and the interpretation will display the numeric temperature value.

datatypes

ExpeData has hundreds of datatypes available and continues to add to the set, further enhancing the accuracy and increasing the speed of the verification.

Barcodes
The digital pen also reads barcodes. After the barcode is scanned, the ExpeData technology correlates the data associated with the barcode to the appropriate form fields, and includes the specific barcodes scanned in the output data file for the form.

Correct and Complete Data
The ExpeData Digital Writing Platform has features which automatically check if a form has been filled out correctly. A form field can be designated as mandatory, meaning that the system will not send the output data until that field has been completed by the user. Also, if a field has a list of options where only one should be checked, the system will not allow more than one option to be selected. The system can also be configured to expand handwritten abbreviations. For example, if NYPD is written in a field, an interpretation of New York Police Department is returned. This saves the users time, yet makes the information easily understandable to a wide audience. The system supports printing and cursive writing, check boxes and graphics. For additional information on handwriting interpretation, click here.

Flexibility
The ExpeData system features across-the-board flexibility. There are flexible options for input and output, as well as server configuration variability to achieve desired scalability.

Versatile Input
Data written with the digital pen can be sent via a Bluetooth connection to a cell phone, or a wireless or USB connection to a PC. The data is then sent to the server.

Versatile Image Output
Images showing the handwriting and converted text can be produced in PDF, JPG, PNG, GIF or TIF format and transferred via FTP or e-mail.

Versatile Data Output
Data output is produced in standard XML format and can be sent through a variety of data transfer methods; FTP, e-mail, or a direct computer to computer transfer via published APIs. This flexibility allows the Digital Writing Platform to be compatible with any back-end system.

Flexible Implementation Services
Forms used with the ExpeData technology undergo form definition. The definition process creates the paper version of the form with pattern, and a digital representation of the form in XML format. Each form field is assigned a datatype to improve the quality of handwriting interpretation. ExpeData’s experienced team can define and print the forms for a fee. Alternatively, ExpeData offers customers and partners the tools and training to define and print the forms at their site, and provides appropriate support. Print-on-demand capabilities are also available.

Flexible Printing
ExpeData provides the broadest range of print capabilities in the industry. Clients can acquire their forms from reputable, certified pattern printing companies. ExpeData has a global print network able to meet client needs. Documents can also be printed at the desktop on appropriate laser laser printers. ExpeData also offers the ability to print on pre-patterned forms and pre-patterned paper.

Internationalization
ExpeData’s technology is competitive in the global marketplace, as the system is available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. ExpeData will continue to add languages for the markets it serves.

Reporting
The ExpeData Reporting Capability consists of an extensive set of daily reports monitoring activity on the server. ExpeData reports cover a wide variety of areas of interest to system administrators, application administrators, business management and others. These reports facilitate tracking of customer usage, thus allowing those providing support to be proactive about fixing any errors that occur. These reports are provided in Microsoft Excel format.

The data provided in those reports includes summary and detailed information in the following areas: system activity, session activity, user errors, sheets by user, sheets by group, users logged on by location, logons by time period, sessions by site, pen counts, pen detail, forms deployed by site, average processing times, interpretation engine statistics, server uptime, and other system information.

Enterprise or ASP models
An organization can install the EDWP for their own use taking advantage of all the features and flexibility offered.

A partner can install the EDWP and offer it to their customers as an Application Service Provider, ASP, for digital writing or integrate it into a solution the company offers to their customers.