Handwriting Difficulties: A Review of Recent Advances in the Identification and Intervention

Handwriting difficulties can significantly affect education and daily functioning. Despite recent advances, challenges in standardization, dataset diversity, and model explainability still limit cross-study comparability and real-world applicability. This narrative review synthesizes recent work on...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Suatmi Murnani, Kazuharu Hashitsume, Tomohiko Igasaki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11098793/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849336063567331328
author Suatmi Murnani
Kazuharu Hashitsume
Tomohiko Igasaki
author_facet Suatmi Murnani
Kazuharu Hashitsume
Tomohiko Igasaki
author_sort Suatmi Murnani
collection DOAJ
description Handwriting difficulties can significantly affect education and daily functioning. Despite recent advances, challenges in standardization, dataset diversity, and model explainability still limit cross-study comparability and real-world applicability. This narrative review synthesizes recent work on identifying and addressing handwriting difficulties, covering both traditional and technology-based approaches. Rather than proposing a new method or computational framework, it highlights trends, challenges, and opportunities in current research. We systematically reviewed 107 primary studies published between 2019 and 2024, sourced from IEEE Xplore and SpringerLink. Key techniques examined include the use of spatiotemporal signals, image data, feature-extraction methods, and algorithmic classification. We also explored key experimental design elements and assistive interventions aimed at improving handwriting performance. Our review underscores advances in handwriting analysis—particularly the role of technology in assessing and improving handwriting legibility and fluency—and shows how these methods address limitations of conventional assessments. The findings demonstrate the potential of technology-based approaches for assessing and mitigating handwriting difficulties, while revealing ongoing challenges such as limited dataset diversity, the need to integrate cognitive and motor aspects, and inadequate model transparency. Future work should focus on standardizing methods, increasing dataset representation, and developing interpretable, multimodal solutions.
format Article
id doaj-art-a3731c78846943dcb4a9f0fff62a99fc
institution Kabale University
issn 2169-3536
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher IEEE
record_format Article
series IEEE Access
spelling doaj-art-a3731c78846943dcb4a9f0fff62a99fc2025-08-20T03:45:06ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-011313339713341710.1109/ACCESS.2025.359324011098793Handwriting Difficulties: A Review of Recent Advances in the Identification and InterventionSuatmi Murnani0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9050-651XKazuharu Hashitsume1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4978-2651Tomohiko Igasaki2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8745-5133Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, JapanGraduate School of Education, Shimane University, Matsue, JapanFaculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, JapanHandwriting difficulties can significantly affect education and daily functioning. Despite recent advances, challenges in standardization, dataset diversity, and model explainability still limit cross-study comparability and real-world applicability. This narrative review synthesizes recent work on identifying and addressing handwriting difficulties, covering both traditional and technology-based approaches. Rather than proposing a new method or computational framework, it highlights trends, challenges, and opportunities in current research. We systematically reviewed 107 primary studies published between 2019 and 2024, sourced from IEEE Xplore and SpringerLink. Key techniques examined include the use of spatiotemporal signals, image data, feature-extraction methods, and algorithmic classification. We also explored key experimental design elements and assistive interventions aimed at improving handwriting performance. Our review underscores advances in handwriting analysis—particularly the role of technology in assessing and improving handwriting legibility and fluency—and shows how these methods address limitations of conventional assessments. The findings demonstrate the potential of technology-based approaches for assessing and mitigating handwriting difficulties, while revealing ongoing challenges such as limited dataset diversity, the need to integrate cognitive and motor aspects, and inadequate model transparency. Future work should focus on standardizing methods, increasing dataset representation, and developing interpretable, multimodal solutions.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11098793/Assistive technologyfeature extractionhandwriting analysishandwriting difficultyhandwriting rehabilitationmotor and cognitive assessment
spellingShingle Suatmi Murnani
Kazuharu Hashitsume
Tomohiko Igasaki
Handwriting Difficulties: A Review of Recent Advances in the Identification and Intervention
IEEE Access
Assistive technology
feature extraction
handwriting analysis
handwriting difficulty
handwriting rehabilitation
motor and cognitive assessment
title Handwriting Difficulties: A Review of Recent Advances in the Identification and Intervention
title_full Handwriting Difficulties: A Review of Recent Advances in the Identification and Intervention
title_fullStr Handwriting Difficulties: A Review of Recent Advances in the Identification and Intervention
title_full_unstemmed Handwriting Difficulties: A Review of Recent Advances in the Identification and Intervention
title_short Handwriting Difficulties: A Review of Recent Advances in the Identification and Intervention
title_sort handwriting difficulties a review of recent advances in the identification and intervention
topic Assistive technology
feature extraction
handwriting analysis
handwriting difficulty
handwriting rehabilitation
motor and cognitive assessment
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11098793/
work_keys_str_mv AT suatmimurnani handwritingdifficultiesareviewofrecentadvancesintheidentificationandintervention
AT kazuharuhashitsume handwritingdifficultiesareviewofrecentadvancesintheidentificationandintervention
AT tomohikoigasaki handwritingdifficultiesareviewofrecentadvancesintheidentificationandintervention