INTELLIGENT DIGITIZING WITH AN INTELLIGENT USER 
Rick Chapman 
ALTEK Corporation 
2150 Industrial Parkway 
Silver Spring, MD 20904 
(301) 622-3906 
Like the entire electronic and computing industry, the 
manufacturing and use of digitizers has changed many of its 
characteristics in the last five years. First, because of 
user demands, digitizer vendors are offering an increasing 
amount of applications-oriented products. Second, because 
the use of digitizers is expanding into markets that were 
not considered a short time ago, we are seeing the 
development of some new and exciting technologies to meet 
this need head on. Third, because of the increase of 
computer-wise users, digitizing has become an industry that 
has had to become aware of the end-user. 
The three characteristics stated above show one common 
factor. The digitizing industry is changing to meet the 
needs of the user. No one should be surprised by this 
statement. It is commonly accepted by those in the 
computing industry that the user is playing an increasing 
role in the design and development of products. The trend 
has been bi-directional. In some instances, product 
development is encouraged by pressure from the user. In 
other cases, the industry has initiated the development on 
its own. Regardless of who exerts the initial pressures for 
development, the result has been a steady increase in the 
supply of user-satisfying products. 
ALTEK Corporation has been at the forefront of research and 
development in the graphic and photogrammetric digitizer 
industry since 1970. The DATATAB (R) Digitizer, about which 
most of our current products are based, is an 
electromagnetic, free cursor, graphic digitizer which was 
first introduced in 1978. It is a patented system (U.S. 
Patent No. 4213005) providing highly accurate output using 
simple, reliable electronics. The table itself consists of 
a precision wire grid bonded to glass or steel, two 
materials virtually unaffected by aging, temperature, or 
humidity changes. All common source media can be digitized 
including photographic films. The system is not damaged by 
placing electronic devices on it nor does it need to be 
remagnetized. There is no periodic maintenance required on 
the table. 
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