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Electronic Signature Pads?
Peter Lakanen asks: "You know those electronic pads you use to sign your name at Circuit City, Sears or other places? I have a client who wants to be able to do that at branch offices. I've been researching the availability of electronic signature pads and have been sorely disappointed at the dearth of information readily available on the topic. Do any Slashdotters out there know of any companies that sell a device that allows someone to sign their name and then have software convert that signature to an image file to be stored or used in an application? Unfortunately, I'm looking for a Win32 solution but would be interested in hearing about any solutions for other systems (*nix, mac, proprietary, etc)." While a complete solution for this isn't a bad thing, why not use cheap digitizers?
Google is your friend. A simple search of "electronic signature capture" pulls out about half a dozen candidates on the first two screens alone, including Topaz Systems and IEPOS. I'd suggest you start with these, look at more of the results, and maybe refine your google search to something more specific.
Since you're looking for a specific piece of hardware, it shouldn't be too hard to find it.
You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. The impossible just takes a little longer.
Have you considered using a drawing tablet or touch pad for this? Hell the things are sold as being good to use with a touch pen for drawing. They're for standard mouse interfaces, ps/2 and serial, so integrating in to winblows should be easy.
The Wacom tablets could be close to what you need... check them out at www.wacom.com. The Graphire is a cheap USB option, which can be had at your local Sam's Club store or at many fine online establishments. As you move up the scale, they have tablets such as the Intuos that can handle the "Intuos Inking Pen" (so you can sign a receipt at the same time you capture, if you so choose) and at the top of the line, the PL series, which is a LCD screen with a tablet on top.
If you need to slide in a receipt like they do at Circuit City, a bit of plastic cut to shape and glued to the tablet shoudl work beautifully. The Graphire comes with a plastic shield anyway - just cut three/fourths of a box out of it and slide the receipt right in.
Hope this helps!
Ben
Seems like a logical place to start would be Sears or Best Buy or some other store that uses them. Walk up to a register (or buy something) and see i there's a brand name on the scanner. If not, flip it over. I expect the cashier won't care. Find a company name or two and a quick web search should do the rest.
www.HearMySoulSpeak.com
Just as an aside, UPS and FedEx use these too, you could try asking them who their vendor is.
. . . I will not shop there.
As a computer security professional, I truly believe I cannot trust my digitised signature being held by commercial entities. They have nothing to lose if some miscreant absconds with it and misuses it. How could I prove it's a forgery? I CAN'T!
READ the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the other amendments! http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/const.html
Thanks for the honor dude!
--
Je t'aime Stéphanie
...of a store once (I think it was a HomeBase) because they used this and wouldn't let me sign a regular receipt. The cashier called the manager over and proceeded to insinuate that I was some nut who wouldn't sign the pad. I explained to the manager my reasoning (in a loud enough voice so that others in line could hear) that, once they have a digitized signature, how could I prove that someone has forged my name should they happen to gain access to that file? How easy it would be for an individual to cut and paste the image into a Word document, and "sign" my name to whatever they wish. How, in a day and age where mass numbers of credit card numbers are routinely stolen online and off, that I could trust that such a digitized image would be safe? Many of the customers in line got a clue, became slightly aghast (when they relized how many places they had signed on a pad), but did nod to my statements. I am certain those individuals will never sign a pad, either.
Despite my protests, the manager still insisted that I sign the "pad". I told him no, got my card back, and said I could buy my merchandise at more enlightened vendors, like Home Depot.
Is it any wonder that HomeBase is going under now (ok, maybe it has nothing to do with the pads, but it would be a nice thought)?
I never once used these pads when they first appeared at Best Buy. Then Sears got them, then HomeBase - even the post office has them (though they don't use them - yet). I tend to wonder how long it will be before they start to take a picture of your face at time of checkout (and in theory, they already do with the numerous security cameras in most places).
Kinda makes you want to wear a ski-mask and gloves whereever you shop and pay with cash (of course, once routine DNA collecting occurs, it won't matter).
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
You don't want just the 'ink', you want the pressure and acceleration data. That is much more resistant to forgery. So you need something a bit more sophisticated than a PDA.