Is there a future for handwritten shorthand?

Abstract

Handwritten shorthand systems were devised to enable writers to record information temporarily at fast speeds. While they have been in existence for many years it is only since the 17th Century that widespread usage appeared. Several shorthand systems flourished until the introduction and widespread use of electronic recording and dictation machines in the 1970's. Since then, shorthand usage has been in rapid decline, but has not yet become a lost skill. Pitman shorthand has been shown to possess unique advantages as a means of fast text entry which is particularly applicable to hand-held devices in mobile environments. This paper discusses critical issues for the commercialization of a Pitman/Renqun Shorthand Online Recognition System and the future usage of handwritten shorthand.