Switcher,
I received my I-Pen yesterday. I read the manual from start to finish, and did not learn anything new, except on how they wanted you to load their software from the included CD, and the functions of the pen.
Being the type person I am, I decided to just plug it into the USB port to see if there was any difference in the design that required the software on the CD to be installed.
From the Git-Go, it worked exactly like my optical Microsoft mouse with the exception that the pen does not have a scroll up/down wheel, so I did not load any of the included software which allows one to write handwritten e-mail messages, and allows one to make notations on existing documents which are on the computer screen. The software also includes a screen capture function, or so the manual says.
It works great. The tip of the pen is very hard white plastic, and there are one or more very small micro-switches apparently, because you can hear the switches click as you slightly press down (about 0.005 to 0.010 in) like you were writing. The unit also makes a connection when moving in the various X and Y axis, and I think that it would make a perfect touch probe for my CNC. I tried the different axis touch approach on the top of a styrofoam coffee cup, and I could hear switches make. So, I am purchasing another pen to disassemble and create a miniature touch probe which will be my next project.
Pressing down on the pen as if writing, creates the same function as holding down the left mouse button. Lifting the pen from the writing surface opens the switch connection.
On the top of the I-pen, there is a manual switch which performs the same function as the right mouse button. In the end of the pen just under the tip is an infrared or ultraviolet (invisible to the eye) LED with sensor. Anyway, just holding the pen and moving it around and above the (writing) surface will move the mouse around on the computer screen. Applying pressure like writing and dragging the tip around will scroll the mouse on the computer screen, and one can select items.
It performs all functions that I have tried just like a regular mouse, so it will be excellent for drawing in your program. It's resolution is stated to be 800 dots per inch. It is very sensitive to the touch.
It is easy to use and is a perfect solution for drawing g-code, although I have not actually used it as such. My computer that I had your program on, lost the hard disk, and I will have to download your software again and set everything up on this portable. Having used your program with a regular mouse, this pen should make it really simple to draw something, and would be even better or near perfect to create g-code by tracing over an existing drawing, photo, or poster. (You can see the pen tip, which you cannot do with a regular mouse, so there is no guessing about where the line is.)
Get one of these pens for sure. You'll like it. It is guaranteed to work with Win98, Win2000, and WinXP. It should also work with any computer if one uses only a standard existing mouse driver on the machine. I am running XP Professional. It also includes software to run on Apple computers.
When is the next version of your program going to be finished and posted?
Jerry