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Rewriting the evolution of handwriting gesture

Fundamental research hand in hand with new technologies

Cédrine Socquet, Ana Phelippeau, and Paul-Peter Arslan

Writing is studied in this open and interdisciplinary research as a unique ability, present in one animal species, Homo Sapiens, involving the development of the brain but also and especially the development of motor skills.

Humans share several skills with non-human primates. Grasping and manipulative abilities have evolved both in humans and non-human primates (but also in many other species such as arthropods, birds, mammals, amphibians). Studying the use of tools in non-human primates helps us to have a better understanding of the evolution of human grasping abilities. However, handwriting remains a human specificity and the study of its prerequisites allows us to have a better knowledge of the human hand. Thus, handwriting is one of the most complex and fastest movements of the human motor repertoire. It is the most complex language modality associated with a highly elaborate system of neurological and biomechanical integrations that change according to what the task demands. From the youngest age, most human infants are trained to learn how to write. Handwriting is an important issue for personal and scholar activities. However, the underlying mechanisms of the development of handwriting in children remains poorly investigated. Besides, a major issue with children is dealing with a huge variability and highlighting invariants in this variability. In this project, we are developing digital tools (e.g. sensors) to explore the development of handwriting in children.