An Inertial-Measurement-Unit-Based Pen With a Trajectory Reconstruction Algorithm and Its Applications

This paper presents an inertial-measurement-unit-based pen (IMUPEN) and its associated trajectory reconstruction algorithm for motion trajectory reconstruction and handwritten digit recognition applications. The IMUPEN is composed of a triaxial accelerometer, two gyroscopes, a microcontroller, and an RF wireless transmission module. Users can hold the IMUPEN to write numerals or draw simple symbols at normal speed. During writing or drawing movements, the inertial signals generated for the movements are transmitted to a computer via the wireless module. A trajectory reconstruction algorithm composed of the procedures of data collection, signal preprocessing, and trajectory reconstruction has been developed for reconstructing the trajectories of movements. In order to minimize the cumulative errors caused by the intrinsic noise/drift of sensors, we have developed an orientation error compensation method and a multiaxis dynamic switch. The advantages of the IMUPEN include the following: 1) It is portable and can be used anywhere without any external reference device or writing ambit limitations, and 2) its trajectory reconstruction algorithm can reduce orientation and integral errors effectively and thus can reconstruct the trajectories of movements accurately. Our experimental results on motion trajectory reconstruction and handwritten digit recognition have successfully validated the effectiveness of the IMUPEN and its trajectory reconstruction algorithm.