Pen Teaches Kids How to Write by Vibrating During Mistakes

A vibrating pen lets fledgling writers know when they’re making mistakes. The writing tool from Lernstift is capable of picking errors in spelling or letter formation in real-time, delivering a warning vibration to the writer’s hand. Currently a test prototype, the electronic pen is programmed to recognise movements associated with each letter form. In calligraphy mode it can buzz the user when the letter shape is being created oddly, while in orthography mode it can be used to pick up spelling or grammar mistakes — one buzz for spelling errors and two for grammar. Creators Falk and Mandy Wolsky (an inventor and an education specialist, respectively) explain on their website that the invention was inspired by their son’s early writing attempts — “From the very first words there were errors.”