Wacom


 * WACOM **
 * Description **

The Wacom pad is inspired by the human ability to create. It uses an interactive pen and input pad that allows for creativity with improved productivity and comfort. It is used in the graphic design and media industry due to the natural feeling of the pen and drawing capabilities. Wacom is a Japanese company and the name derives from two words: Wa for “harmony” or “circle”, and Komu for “computer”. The American headquarters for Wacom Technology Corporation is headquartered in Vancouver, WA and is owned and subsidiary of Wacom Company, Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan (TSE: 6727). ( 1)

The Wacom company believes that technology should be user friendly and easy to understand. The Wacom products depend on the natural human movement and intuition rather than the awkward movement of the mouse. It has a patented pen and touch input system that allows for artists to create amazing characters, various digital art and animation film special effects by using a pen to draw with directly to the computer. It also has been used in the fashion industry and industrial design.

** History **

The first Multi-touch technology began in 1982, when the University of Toronto’s Input Research Group developed the first human-input multi-touch system. The system used a frosted-glass panel with a camera placed behind the glass. When a finger pressed on the glass, the camera would detect the action as a black spot on white background, allowing it to be registered as an input. The size of a dot was dependent on pressure of the finger on the screen (2)

The Wacom was first introduced in 1992 and used in the screen of the [|Compaq Concerto] computer, which was an early [|tablet computer]. Wacom business is international with offices in North America, Asia and Europe. They have come out with several versions of the Wacom pad over the years. the Cintiq®, the Intuos® , and the Bamboo® and Bamboo Fun® pen tablet lines. Wacom services different markets with a line of other pen displays, and it provides technology for a variety of products, that include mobile information terminals, Tablet PC’s, UMPC’s, medical devices and amusement equipment.

** Technology **

The tablet forms a electromagnetic field on its surface in which the electronic pen moves. When it moves, electricity runs through the coil inside the pen. The tablet then receives inductive signals generated by the magnetic field formed on the pen side (induction). By repeating the process a number of times in a short time, the pen’s paths are smoothly read by the tablet. The electronic pen is capable of detecting differences in line widths and color gradation to be displayed. Another notable feature is that an eraser can be added to the pen. (3)


 * Impact on Teaching and Learning **

The benefits of using the Wacom in an educational setting are great. The artists are able to work with an intuitive device that allows for sensitive touch and each stroke can be captured as if drawing with pen and ink. It can be helpful to use when working long hours due to the hand position. The hand position with the traditional mouse tends to be problematic over time. It is ergonomically correct which relieves stress on the hand and wrist when using for demonstration or for long periods of time.

The interaction and transition from pen to computer tools make this device a must in the art and design education field. It helps to engage students in the design industry in a visual way during and after instruction. It aids in learning evironments such as interactive classrooms, lecture halls, flipped classrooms, collaborative workgroups, and distance/remote learning.

Criticisms are that the pen may be too sensitive for beginners and create problems when searching and clicking with the button on the pen. It takes a while to get used to all the nuances but the result is a more realistic drawing and graphic representation.


 * Product Examples **

The **Bamboo** line is aimed at the home user. Most of the models have a 5.8 × 3.6 in (14.7 × 9.2 cm) active surface area, while the larger “Fun” and “Create” models have a usable surface area of 8.5 × 5.4 in (22 × 14 cm). Bamboo tablets feature a battery-free pen which can be used alongside finger swipes in some models. The “Pen&Touch” model has an option to switch orientation for left- or right-handed users. In America there are three models currently available: Bamboo Create, Bamboo Capture and Bamboo Connect. In addition to pen stylus-based input, “Create” and “Capture” models feature a one- and two-finger gestures touch for scrolling and zooming. The “Create” model includes an eraser-equipped stylus and comes with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7, Corel Painter Essentials 4 and Nik Color Efex Pro 3. In Europe, there are four tablet models available: Bamboo Pen, Bamboo Pen&Touch, Bamboo Fun Small Pen&Touch and Bamboo Fun Medium Pen&Touch.

The **Inuos** is Wacom’s Medium Pen Tablet with pen. Intuos is mainly used by professional graphic artists. The latest version, Intuos 5, is available in multiple sizes. The Intuos 5 also has touch controls on the drawing surface, allowing the user to manipulate the canvas with [|multi-touch gestures]. The Intuos line offers 5080 lines per inch resolution and comes in the following sizes: Each model can also be made wireless through an add-on called the Intuos 5 Wireless Kit.
 * Small: 157.5 mm × 98.4 mm; 6.2 in × 3.9 in
 * Medium: 223.5 mm × 139.7 mm; 8.8 in × 5.5 in
 * Large: 325.1 mm × 203.2 mm; 12.8 in × 8.0 in
 * XL: 462 mm × 304.8 mm; 18.2 in × 12.0 in

The **Cintiq** is a hybrid—a graphics tablet that incorporates an LCD into the digitizing tablet. The tablets are available in several sizes. The 21UX is a 21-inch 1600×1200 resolution tablet. It has a higher pen resolution and 2048 pressure levels due to the Intuos4’s technology. In 2011, Wacom announced its Cintiq, the 24HD (DTK-2400). It contains a 24-inch 1920×1200 resolution LCD with 92% coverage of the Adobe RGB color gamut. The graphic pen technology, like the 21UX, is identical to the Intuos4 in resolution per inch.



The **Inkling** is a new device that allows artists to draw sketches on paper and then convert it into digital images. Inkling consists of a receiver, which artists insert paper into, and a special pen which uses real ink. As artists draw on paper, they are able to add new layers by tapping a button on the receiver. When the artist have finished their sketches, they can connect the receiver into a USB port, where the sketches are imported into Sketch Manager and can be exported to Photoshop, Illustrator or Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, as well as various image formats. This item was released in early in 2012.

** References **


 * 1) wacom.com retrieved September 2012
 * 2) Buxton, Bill. [|“Multitouch Overview”] retrieved September 2012
 * 3) [|__http://web.archive.org/web/20071005131703/http://www.wacom.com/ir/faq.html#21__] retrieved September 2012

** Links **

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 * About the Author **

The author, Wendy Oshiro, has over thirteen years of experience as a designer in the design industry with clients in the Mainland U.S., Japan and Hawaii. Her teaching experience spans six years in the University of Hawaii system and currently teaches graphic design at a public intermediate school in Hawaii. She enjoys being a designer and teaching budding future designers the exciting future that graphic design can hold for them. Wendy is currently a masters degree student in Educational Technology.