Another Crazy Day in AI: The Classroom Without Pens
- Wowza Team
- Jun 6
- 4 min read
Hello, AI Enthusiasts.
Whew—did this week fly by, or was that just the caffeine?
If you think you’ve seen it all, wait till you hear about a new way students are learning—using nothing but the air around them. In Taiwan, researchers built a virtual writing system where students can draw or write midair. No screen. No stylus. Just gestures.
Meanwhile, AI pioneers are now training AI to catch other AIs—before they mislead, deceive, or go rogue.
And just when we thought HeyGen was done, Avatar IV drops a major upgrade. Wanna know what’s new?
Here's another crazy day in AI:
A new classroom tool that tracks finger movement
AI pioneer launches nonprofit for honest intelligence
HeyGen levels up with hyper-real Avatar IV
Some AI tools to try out
TODAY'S FEATURED ITEM: Bringing Motion-Based Input to Schools
Image Credit: Wowza (created with Ideogram)
What if students could write in midair—no paper, no pens—and still be fully engaged in class?
A team of researchers in Taiwan has developed technology that might change how we think about traditional classroom activities. Led by Associate Professor Liang-Bi Chen at the National Penghu University of Science and Technology, the research group created a virtual writing platform where students can create handwriting and artwork by simply moving their fingers through empty space. Published in the IEEE Canadian Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering, this work tackles real problems teachers face every day while opening up new possibilities for student engagement.
In a new article for IEEE Journal Watch, freelance writer Michelle Hampson takes a closer look at how the system works. It relies on wearable sensors that track finger movement, converting gestures into written characters or sketches on screen. Unlike other classroom tools that depend on physical devices like styluses or tablets, this setup is designed for direct interaction without contact. To build it, the researchers used a microcontroller and a gyroscope module—components selected with cost and classroom practicality in mind.
Here’s what the researchers focused on:
How accurately the system could replicate handwritten characters drawn in the air
The usability of the interface from a student’s perspective
Whether students found the experience intuitive or difficult to adapt to
The kinds of improvements that might be needed before use in real classrooms
There’s still a lot to figure out before something like this becomes common in classrooms. Questions around usability, classroom management, and even how students respond to this kind of interaction will take time to answer. But ideas like this are a reminder that innovation in education doesn’t always have to mean high-end, high-cost equipment. Sometimes it’s about finding new ways to make familiar practices—like handwriting—more flexible and accessible.
It also opens up room to think differently about participation. Not every student is equally comfortable using traditional tools, and not every classroom has the same resources. A system that lowers barriers while still encouraging creative expression could offer real value. It’s early, but the work by Chen’s team gives educators and researchers something concrete to consider—and maybe build on.
OTHER INTERESTING AI HIGHLIGHTS:
AI Pioneer Launches Nonprofit For Honest Intelligence
/Dan Milmo, Global Technology Editor, on The Guardian
Yoshua Bengio, a Turing Award-winning computer scientist known as one of the “godfathers” of AI, has launched LawZero, a nonprofit focused on creating “honest” AI. Its core project, Scientist AI, aims to predict and prevent harmful or deceptive behavior by autonomous AI agents—acting more like a psychologist than an assistant. Unlike typical generative AI, it won’t give definitive answers but will instead offer probabilities, building a system that’s transparent and humble. Bengio stresses the importance of developing a watchdog AI that is just as advanced as the agents it monitors.
Read more here.
HeyGen Levels Up with Hyper-Real Avatar IV
/HeyGen
HeyGen has rolled out a major update to Avatar IV, enhancing its avatars with lifelike gestures, micro-expressions, and emotional delivery—all prompt-controlled. The upgrade allows creators to direct tone, posture, and facial reactions with simple cues like “casual tone” or “spread hands,” resulting in avatars that truly perform. Videos can now be generated in full HD (1080p) for up to 60 seconds, with extended options for enterprise users. With natural motion and expressive nuance, Avatar IV brings digital characters closer than ever to human realism.
Read more here.
SOME AI TOOLS TO TRY OUT:
That’s a wrap on today’s Almost Daily craziness.
Catch us almost every day—almost! 😉
EXCITING NEWS:
The Another Crazy Day in AI newsletter is on LinkedIn!!!
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