PenSando: Developing a Smartpen Assessing Handwriting Skills for Children

Abstract

Assessing the writing skill is core to identify children with dysgraphia. Smartpens have been used to identify handwriting patterns, but their elevated cost may make them impractical, especially in a context such as Latin American. In this paper, we present the design of PenSando, a cost-effective smartpen augmented with sensing capabilities to aid in detecting the handwriting learning needs of a child. The pen senses inertial and pressure measurement. It provides a 3D-printed case to ensure a proper grip. We run a pilot study with two children to understand their experience while writing using PenSando.