ETAUSR#1 -3-
Emerging Technology Accessibility, Usability, and Scalability Report (ETAUSR) #1
The Live Scribe Pen
Version 1.1
March 2, 2010
About This Series
New technologies are often adopted on university and college campuses with little regard to how they solve, or create, access barriers for individuals with disabilities. Created by the UDITEACH Project Staff at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the purpose of this series of reports is to provide an analysis of the accessibility, usability, and scalability issues associated with emerging technologies. The complete collection of reports can be accessed at: http http://uditeach.r2d2.uwm.edu/
Background
Post-secondary instruction relies heavily on the expectation that students will take notes in-class and review their notes outside of class. However, note taking is a high-level cognitive skill that requires the integration of many other skills: listening, cognitive processing, and handwriting. Note taking requires a high-level of attentional focus and fluency in the written expression process.
Note taking has always been problematic task for many students. Some students struggle with the attentional focus needed to listen and record notes. Some students have hearing impairments that make it difficult to hear and understand the lecture. Other students have processing problems that interfere with their ability to understand what is being said, discern what is most important, and then record the selected facts on paper. Some students struggle with the fine motor aspects of handwriting while others may have difficulty in spelling which may render their notes unintelligible when they go back to study their notes.
To support students who struggle with note taking, a variety of interventions have historically been implemented on college campuses. Among the most common solutions: The professor makes his/her PowerPoint slides available for download before class. In this situation, students need only to add brief notes to the page, or highlight particular items, rather than trying to capture everything the instructor says. In other cases, a student note taker is hired to attend class and take notes using no carbon required (NCR) notepaper. At the end of class, the original copy is given to the student and the copy is turned into the disability services office. In some cases, with the instructor's permission, a student may tape the lecture so that he can listen to the information again later.
Given the ubiquitious nature of note taking challenges on college campuses, this report examines the accessibility, usability, and scalability of a new note taking technology. On January 28, 2009, Livescribe, Inc. released a new product known as the Pulse Smartpen. The company describes this product as follows: "Livescribe is fundamentally changing the way people capture, use and share information with pen and paper, ensuring people will never miss a word." The Pulse Smartpen is a breakthrough low-cost mobile computing platform that is an integrated system of smartpen, dot paper, applications, and development tools designed to enhance personal productivity, learning, communication and self-expression for anyone that uses pen and paper.
Product Description
What is the core technology? The Pulse Smartpen looks like a typical pen. However, it has audio recording processes built in and it revolutionizes the act of writing by recording and linking audio to what you put on paper. Tap on words or drawings in your notes, and the Smartpen replays recorded audio from that moment when you were writing. A USB cradle offers users the opportunity to transfer their notes to a computer to backup, replay, and/or share them online.
What other products are available in this class? The Pulse Smartpen is a new technology that integrates note taking, audio, replay, and file transfer. Other types of interventions that could be used to address difficulties in note taking include: Digital clipboards such as The DigiMemo 69020 (http:// www.digimemo.com/), laptop computers, tape recorders, and having the instructor use a wireless microphone to capture the lecture and subsequently make the podcast available to the class through iTunes (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16624-itunes-university-better-than-the-real-thing.html).
Who makes it? The Pulse Smartpen is available from Livescribe, Inc. online at http://www.livescribe.com, along with dot paper, software applications and third-party development tools. In addition, the Pulse Smartpen and accessories are available in Target, Costco, Amazon.com and college bookstores.
What are the product specifications? The Pulse Smartpen is available in two models. The 1GB model is priced at $149 (suggested retail price, SRP) with more than 100 hours of recording time and the 2GB model is $199 (SRP) with more than 200 hours of recording time. Both models come with a 3D recording headset, USB mobile charging cradle, single subject notebook, a soft-sided carrying case, ink cartridge refills and stylus, and the Livescribe Desktop software.
What does it cost? The 1GB model is priced at $149 (suggested retail price, SRP) and the 2GB model is $199 (SRP). In addition, users may need to consider the reoccurring costs associated with the special paper (free to download, or $19.94 to purchase a 4-pack of notebooks).
Where can I find more information about the Pulse Smartpen? For additional information about the Pulse Smartpen, contact the company at:
Livescribe, Inc.
7677 Oakport Street, 12th Floor
Oakland, CA 94621
Phone: 877/727–4239
Email: