Tools

These are some common tools used to work on this device. You might not need every tool for every procedure.

Background and Identification

A graphics tablet is a computer input device that allows users to hand-draw images, graphics, and animations with a stylus (a pen-like drawing apparatus designed for digital screens). Graphic tablets are also known as digitizers, drawing tablets, drawing pads, digital drawing tablets, pen tablets, or digital artboards.

Graphic tablets consist of a flat surface on which users can “draw” images using a stylus (similar to drawing images with a paper and pencil). Graphic tablets can also be used to trace images from paper secured to the tablet’s surface. The drawing is displayed on a computer monitor, but some graphic tablets use LCD (liquid-crystal display) screens. Graphic tablets can also be used for pointing and navigating on desktop computers, much like a computer mouse.

In 1888, the first electronic handwriting device was patented as the “Telautograph.” Digitizers gained popularity during the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1980s, graphic tablets began to feature handwriting recognition and on-tablet menus.

Graphic tablets are characterized by their size, drawing area, resolution size, pressure sensitivity, and buttons. Graphic tablets include passive tablets (which use electromagnetic induction technology), active tablets (which contain self-powered electronics), optical tablets (which use a small digital camera built into the stylus), acoustic tablets (which use small sound generators mounted in the stylus), and capacitive tablets (which are designed to use a capacitive or electrostatic signal).

Additional Information

Not to be confused with a tablet computer, though some graphics tablets contain touch-sensitive screens.