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Realistic computer-generated handwriting

calligrapher.ai

121–130 of 247 posts

Re: Realistic computer-generated handwriting

#121
post #50

Non-english alphabets unreadable even with maximum legibility setting.

I have the feeling that the amount of programmers whose minimum acceptable standard for code is on the level of "garbage in, garbage out" is on the rise. I condemn this development, that's a lack of role models who can transmit the values of culture and discipline. If I had written that software, I would have made an effort to support the complete Latin script, or at the very least shown an error or a warning for uns…

Looks like it's based on this paper [1]. It's a recurrent neural network trained on online handwriting data. It means you record how the position of the tip of the pen changes as you write. The training data comes from the IAM On-Line Handwriting Database which has only handwritten English text.

If you want to support a complete Latin script, you would have to generate a lot of training data yourself, preferably in multiple languages. Quite the effort indeed.

1 - https://arxiv.org/pdf/1308.0850.pdf

Re: Realistic computer-generated handwriting

#123

Should it worry me that the legibility slider cranked all the way to zero is still more legible than my actual handwriting?

I always wondered if pharmacists had any specific training in the terrible handwriting doctors put on prescriptions, or if they all just figure it out in their first year.

> I always wondered if pharmacists had any specific training in the terrible handwriting doctors put on prescriptions

One day my local pharmacist was in a chatty mood whilst filling my request and one topic that came up was doctor's handwriting.

The answer is yes, they do (did ?) receive training in handwriting recognition.

Basically it involves learning to recognise common abbreviations and mostly being very familiar with drug names and dosing.

As the pharmacist said, when he received his training it was "easy" because the formulary was "somewhat shorter" than it is today. As a result he said his junior trainees struggle and frequently come to him guidance until they've had sufficient exposure.

However with things moving to electronic prescriptions the days of deciphering will be relic of the past for many pharmacists.

Re: Realistic computer-generated handwriting

#126
It would be great to use this for complex latex equations.

Often a hand-writing feel makes youtube math explainers and lectures much more absorbing.

But, at the same time, handwriting makes videos a pain to edit to correct the mistakes that all math lectures longer than a few minutes inevitably have.

Re: Realistic computer-generated handwriting

#127
post #114

For fun: max speed, max legibility, style 2, sentence "My first name is: bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla", stroke width doesn't matter. It may take a few tries but at some point, you may get some weird results (about 1/4 time for me). It may happen with other settings, but these work well for me.

Example screenshot:

https://snipboard.io/mxF8O0.jpg

Re: Realistic computer-generated handwriting

#128

My first name contains one of the fewest used letters of the alphabet and in first position nonetheless: Xavier Let me tell you: the training data did not contain that many X to begin with :D The Xs at best look like Ts, at worst like malformed Os. Always funny to find the blind spots of some piece of tech.

i recommend trying the phrase "sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow!" on style 6, with legibility set to maximum. sometimes it looks roughly right, sometimes it opens with "sphnnneoooeoeoeoeoevorneroerof black quartz"

wow! I was able to duplicate that!

as usual, the errors are at least as interesting as the successes on new tech!

Re: Realistic computer-generated handwriting

#129

Combine this with ChatGPT and a Pen Plotter and you can offer heartfelt hand-written letters as a service. (That are neither handwritten, nor heartfelt, but people won't notice, or care.)

I think all of the car dealers I've dealt with the past decade are doing something like this. I get "handwritten" notes from them a few times a year telling me the market is hot for my 5 year old Subaru and I'd be a fool not to trade it in. I don't know if it's a machine writing the notes or if that's what salespeople do when they aren't busy.

Japanese companies, such as Honda, have a history of using personal relationships and direct communication to get their products off the ground, such as in the case of Mr. Honda writing to thousands of dealers to ask them to stock his new invention, the bike with an engine, in order to help his company and the Japanese economy to recover.
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