14 DAY TRIAL // When it comes to writing things on a computer, Microsoft Word, or whatever program is used, usually has some form of spell check, and even grammar check plugin. The same cannot be said about writing things by hand.
After all, it's not like technology experts have figured out how to integrate spell checking functionality into paper.
And even if there were a way, it would probably be too expensive to implement on a grand scale, so we're left with the dream.
Fortunately, where there's a will, there's a way, and a team of German investors have the way.
Which is to say, they bypassed the issue of intelligent paper practicality altogether and made an intelligent pen instead.
Called Lernstift, it is a regular pen with real ink, or at least it looks that way on the outside.
What it truly holds is much more important: an engine that recognizes when you spell things wrong and tells you.
Well, not tells you. More like vibrates when you get something wrong, by noticing specific movements, letter shapes and various assortments of words.
If the pen senses messy handwriting and bad letter formation, it will start vibrating. It won't help finish the word on a high note, but at least you'll know if you're spelling things wrong.
We imagine that the Lernstift could be a good way to train calligraphy. It even has a Calligraphy Mode that points out flaws of form and legibility.
The other mode is the Orthography Mode, which recognizes words and compares them to a language database.
Lerstifit is made with a small battery-powered Linux computer and a WiFi chip. It was invented by Daniel Kaesmacher, the 33-year-old co-founder of Lernstift from Munich, and Falk Wolsky, 36, who had the idea last year when his 10-year-old son was doing homework.
"His son had been struggling with his work and staying focused and Falk thought there should be a pen that gives him some sort of signal so he stays focused," Kaesmacher said.
Go to Kickstarter to check it out and maybe donate some money in the form of a pledge.