Better Writing Through a Spell-Check Pen?

“There should be a pen that tells you right away when you’ve made a mistake.”

Falk and Mandy Wolsky went from watching their son learn to write to designing and developing a spelling- and grammar-checker for freehand writing: the Lernstift pen. Using motion sensors, handwriting recognition technology, and pressure sensors, the Lernstift pen is designed to detect errors in letter forms (calligraphy mode) and in spelling and grammar (orthography mode).

Instead of looking for squiggly lines on a screen, writers will be feeling for single vibrations (spelling errors) or double vibrations (grammar errors). The pen cues that an error has been made, but has no way to communicate what the error is or how to fix it. Plans to link the pen to apps or other digital devices and programs, however, are likely to expand its functions.

For now, as professional childcare worker Mandy Wolsky assures us, the development of the pen is intended to focus on early learner's needs. If it can help to instill basic spelling and grammar in a new generation of writers, it will be a welcomed product when it rolls out of development and into production later this year.

Sources: Lernstift.com, The Telegraph, CNET, Wired.co.uk.

Image courtesy of Lernstift.com.