Back to the Future of Handwriting Recognition

RAND Corporation's GRAIL system, developed in 1966, pioneered handwriting recognition technology that allowed users to interact with computers using a pen and tablet rather than keyboards or mice. Gabriel Groner's handwriting recognition algorithm, which could identify letters, numbers, and symbols with 90% accuracy in real-time on an IBM System/360 computer, achieved an elegant and intuitive user experience that many consider superior to modern alternatives. This essay revisits Groner's method through interactive implementations to explain how his groundbreaking handwriting recognition scheme actually worked.