This book focuses on the fundamental tools and ideas that are generally usedin the handwriting recognition field. Though one of the oldest fields of computer pattern recognition, this topic is now attracting growing numbers of researchers in universities and development engineers in industry. The volume is based on a NATO Advanced Study Institute that took place in France in 1993. The most important algorithms for data acquisition, preprocessing, feature extraction, and classification, andthe commonest database and devices for on-line and off-line recognition are presented. The role of parallel machines and special networks in solving problems in the field are also discussed.