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Journalism of Courage
With the onset of a new generative AI era, there has been a surge in the development of AI-powered gadgets that primarily look to make people’s lives easier. One such piece of AI hardware intends to tackle the persistent problem of illiteracy in the world.
The Literacy Pen is an assistive device that claims to use AI to help “illiterate” people read and write. It has been jointly developed by Media Monks and the World Literacy Foundation, a global non-profit organisation working towards eradicating illiteracy across the world in the next 16 years.
As seen in its video demo, the Literacy Pen is a white cuboid with a digital display and built-in microphone along with an action button and a pairing system. The best part? The video claims that it can be clipped onto any standard pen or pencil in the world.
First, the user has to voice the word they want to know the spelling of. Using voice detection technology, the Literacy Pen accurately transcribes the word, letter by letter on the digital display. The user can then copy the word onto the paper by looking at the display. The device will be ready for shipping in 2025, according to the demo video.
The Literacy Pen could be useful for people who are looking to fill out a form or a job application. It claims that the tool overcomes challenges posed by learning apps on phones as it is a clip-on device. However, the exact role of AI in the functioning of the Literacy Pen is unclear. It is also not yet known if the device is capable of transcribing words in languages other than English.
In the demo, the developers said that the Literacy Pen teaches illiterate individuals to write and learn through the power of written repetition as well as visual repetition.
“The Literacy Pen is one of the most significant advances in the past 20 years to aid illiterate young people and adults who face adversity and exclusion in day-to-day life. The economic, personal, and social cost of living a life of illiteracy is deeply profound. The Literacy Pen is a highly effective and practical solution to addressing this issue,” Andrew Kay, CEO of the World Literacy Foundation, said in a statement.
He added that the World Literacy Foundation is seeking the help of philanthropists to support the rollout of the Literacy Pen in India next year.
