November 2005 — Hardware

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Is the Pen Mightier Than the Mouse?

by Dave Berque

Recent technology developments confirm that pentop computing is set to make its mark in K-12 education.

IN 1991, PenTop magazine (long since defunct) quoted Greg Slyngstad, then general manager of Microsoft’s Pen Computing Group, as saying: “The impact of pens on computing will be far greater than the mouse. The two key benefits— extreme portability and ease of use—will enable tiny, low-cost PCs that will appeal to a broader spectrum of users than ever before.…Smart paper [will] do everything paper can as well as recognize objects, do calculations, [and] neatly organize, duplicate and transmit itself.” Although it has taken nearly 15 years for Slyngstad’s vision to materialize, the future is arriving. More importantly, evidence is in that the impact of pen computing on K- 12 education will be great.

Simply put, education provides a natural home for pen computing. Many subject areas rely on freehand input to communicate ideas that are difficult to express via mouse and keyboard. Whether used to explore mathematics (equations), economics (supply-demand curves), physics (inclined planes), writing (editing marks), history (map annotation), Japanese language (kanji character construction), or chemistry (molecular structures), the power of the pen is clear.

The smallest and newest device to exploit this power is the FLY pentop computer, recently introduced by LeapFrog Enterprises (http://www.leapfrog.com). The FLY pentop computer leverages powerful technology developed by Swedish high-tech company Anoto (http://www.anoto.com), which allows users to write on special dot-matrix FLY paper using a digital pen. The pen leaves ink on the paper, but also reads special markers on the paper to determine the pen’s position. LeapFrog has built upon this technology to provide a solution that promises to be popular with students. Using the FLY, for example, a student can draw a picture of a calculator on paper. The student then uses the special stylus to touch the keys on the calculator in order to input a mathematics problem. The FLY then calculates the answer and “speaks” it to the student. A variety of other student-centered applications, including a calendar tool that helps students keep track of assignments, will also ship with the FLY. Given that the FLY can run applications via cartridges that are snapped to the device (much like a cap is attached to a ballpoint pen), the range of its educational functions is likely to grow.