The Scribble Pen is one of those awesome things that exist in our imagination, but that we never expect to actually become a reality. This high tech pen lets you draw in any color imaginable just by scanning things around you.

‘The world’s first color picking pen’ incorporates a color sensor and microprocessor to detect and process whatever color you want to  replicate. All you have to do is place the top of the Scribble Pen -where the sensor is located – on the object, flower or anything else that you want to scan, and the device will copy its exact color. Say you want to draw in the exact red shade of a beautiful rose, or in the vibrant green of a certain tree leaf, all you have to do is scan it with the Scribble Pen and you’re good to go.

Once the color is selected and processed, a smart micro pump inside the devices mixes colors from a revolutionary ink cartridge to reproduce the exact shade and and tone of your choice. The Scribble Pen website claims the ink is water resistant and will never fade. It’s unclear how long one of these smart ink cartridges will last, but inventors say you’ll be able to “write for miles with each generous, affordable ink cartridge.”

The Scribble Pen comes in two versions – one that lets you draw on paper and other surfaces using real ink, and a smart stylus that lets you reproduce scanned colors digitally, on smartphone or tablet. Each comes with with three tips for different stroke weights, and feature Bluetooth connectivity allowing users to save colors they’ve scanned on various devices. In terms of battery life, the Scribble Pen is said to last about seven hours on a single charge, after which it can be charged using a USB cable.

Does all this sound awesome, or what! But before you go breaking the piggy bank and coughing up $249 for a pre-order, there’s something you should know. In 2014, the inventors of the Scribble Pen launched a Kickstarter campaign to produce the device, asking for $100,000 and raising a whopping $366,566. However, the campaign was eventually cancelled after Scribble failed to provide details on how the Pen worked and produce a working prototype. Mashable reports that the backers were never refunded. Then, the company made another attempt at crowdfunding the smart pen, this time on Tilt. They raised $227,540, but cancelled again, only this time the backers got their money back.

Now, the company is selling Scribble Pens to customers directly, via its website, but apart from a few very impressive presentation videos, we have yet to see actual proof that the pen actually works as described. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. With just one day left to preorder, we’ll soon find out.

Photos: Scribble