Universal Stylus Initiative launches certification program (open standard for digital pens)

It’s been five years since the Universal Stylus Initiative first launched as an effort to standardize digital pen technology with a new open standard that could be adopted by a wide range of stylus and device makers.

But it’s taken a little while for things to take off — version 1.0 of the USI specification was released in 2016, but it was another three years before USI 1.0 devices stared to hit the streets.

Now USI has launched a new certification program, which means that in the future it may be easier to tell if specific active pens and devices support the standard.

In a nutshell, the certification program means that stylus and device makers can submit their products for testing. If their products meet all the requirements, they earn the right to use the USI logo.

So far HP and Lenovo both have USI certified pens, as well as a few other companies including Waltop and Shenzhen Qianfenyi Intelligent Technology. The list of officially certified hardware will likely grow over time.

Since USI is an open standard, any hardware maker can develop digital pens, phones, tablets, laptops, or other devices that support the standard without relying on proprietary components from companies like Wacom or Goodix. But the certification program could come in handy for consumers that want to know if a device actually meets the specification and fully supports the USI standard. That said, the need to validate hardware through a testing and certification program could increase costs a bit.

press release