A curious article came through the Associated Press to Wired News, touting some new technology that will allow authors to remotely sign customers books.
I have to admit that my interest was peaked a bit, considering that I am working on my technology book currently, so I delved into it a bit more. First of all, essentially the way it works is that on one end the author is using a device to send the signature, and on the other end, a customer has their book put in a contraption with a robotic writing device that replicates the movements the author is making – effectively signing the book in their handwriting.
They call this company, and technology, Unotchit (You – No – Touch – It). Aside from the horrendous name for this technology, its a wild idea. This could be an interesting thing if a bookstore wanted to hold a signing for an overseas (other otherwise indisposed) author, and the author also had access to the sending device. Currently, they do not plan to sell the technology, only to lease it.
There are some videos showing how it works on the Unotchit website if you want to see more.
~Nicole
Hm.. didn’t they kinda miss the point a little? The point of having a signed book is that the author was -there-, had their hands on that book, touched it, or whatever. At least to me, that’s the only reason I’d care about having someone’s signature in their work in my possession.