Hello
Would it be possible / desirable if the freehand tool had a mode for generating a path from averaging multiple strokes?

There was a video [http://www.solidsmack.com/future-interfaces-3d-multi-stroke-sketching-system/2008-10-08/] of a new experimental 3d sketching system that implemented just that, among other much more complex things, and I thought it would be very useful. (see the video, around 0:30 to 1:00)
All the gesture recognition and 3d is of course irrelevant to inkscape, but a similar multi-stroke approximation system would fit in nicely for naturally shaping and editing a path.

So, is someting like that currently possible, or even wanted ?

First of all, that application looks amazing. The idea that you can sketch something in 3D so easily is brilliant. It's seriously clever.

I agree that Inkscape could definitely benefit from averaging multiple strokes. I think it's worth logging the idea as a request on https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape

Lovely! Especially the way protruding endings could be disposed of was very smooth. I so hope this stays in the public domain and is not made into payware.

EDIT: I just read the paper: Most work seemingly went into 3D related issues - So the sketch-a bezier part might not be so hard.... What they did basically was interpolating the strokes, while weighing them according to their age : old strokes do not count as much. Sadly they do not go into detail regarding the way curves are combined.

Indeed the most complex part must be the 3d stuff.
The multi-stroke part can be made as simple as interpolating 2 or more similar freehand curves and using the result to generate a path with the original algorithm inkscape uses with the pencil tool. So kinda like a temporary pencil tool, which after a while combines all lines drawn with it into one.
And for corrections, maybe interpolating a selected existing path with a freehand line, and regenerating it.

I forgot that Inkscape already has an interpolate function. It makes the possibility that much closer