Graphonomics

Not to be confused with Graphology.

Graphonomics is the interdisciplinary field directed towards the scientific analysis of the handwriting process, product, and other graphic skills.^[1],[2]

Researchers in handwriting recognition, forensic handwriting examination, kinesiology, psychology, computer science, artificial intelligence, paleography and neuroscience cooperate in order to achieve a better understanding of the human skill of handwriting. Research in graphonomics generally involves handwriting movement analysis^[3] in one form or another.

History and conferences

The first international conference relating to graphonomics was held in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, in July 1982.^[4] The term 'graphonomics' was used there for the first time.^[5]

The second conference was held in July 1985 in Hong Kong^[4] and, at that meeting, a decision was taken to form the International Graphonomics Society.^[6] The IGS became a legal non-profit organization under Netherlands law on January 30, 1987.^[6]

Subsequently, an international conference, symposium and/or workshop has been held every two years. Past events have been held in various locations with most events having a specific theme, as follows:^[7]

• Nijmegen, The Netherlands (1982), Motor Aspects of Handwriting
• Hong Kong (1985), Graphonomics
• Montreal, QC, Canada (1987), Third International Symposium on Handwriting and Computer Applications
• Trondheim, Norway (1989), Fourth IGS Conference. The Development of Graphic Skills (DOGS)
• Tempe, AZ, USA (1991), Fifth Handwriting Conference of the IGS. Motor Control of Handwriting
• Paris, France (1993), Sixth International Conference on Handwriting and Drawing (ICOHD93)
• London, ON, Canada (1995), Seventh Biennial Conference of the International Graphonomics Society. Basic and Applied Issues in Handwriting and Drawing Research. Note: this conference was held jointly with Annual Symposium of the Association of Forensic Document Examiners
• Genoa, Italy (1997), Eighth Biennial Conference of the International Graphonomics Society. Motor Control and Neuroscience
• Singapore, Singapore (1999), 9th Biennial Conference of the International Graphonomics Society. Written Oriental Languages
• Nijmegen, The Netherlands (2001), Tenth Biennial Conference of the International Graphonomics Society. Motor Disorders
• Scottsdale, AZ, USA (2003), 11th Conference of the International Graphonomics Society. Connecting Sciences Using Graphonomlc Research
• Salerno, Italy (2005), 12th Biennial Conference of the International Graphonomics Society. Advances in Graphonomics: Perceiving, Deciding, Acting
• Melbourne, Australia (2007), 13th Conference of the International Graphonomics Society
• Dijon, France (2009), 14th Biennial Conference of the International Graphonomics Society. Advances in Graphonomics
• Live Aqua Cancun, Mexico (2011), The 15th International Graphonomics Society Conference. Translational Graphonomics
• Naraa, Japan (2013), The 16th International Graphonomics Society Conference. Learn from the Past
• Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe (2015), The 17th International Graphonomics Society Conference. Drawing, Handwriting Processing and Analysis: New Advances and Challenges
• Gaeta, Italy (2017), 18th International Graphonomics Society Conference. Graphonomics for e-citizens: e-health, e-society, e-education.
• Cancun, Mexico (2019), The 19th International Graphonomics Society Conference. Graphonomics and Your Brain on Art, Creativity and Innovation.
• La Palmas De Gran Canaria, Spain (2021), The 20th Conference of the International Graphonomics Society. Intertwining Graphonomics with Human movements.
• University of Évora, Portugal, The 21st Conference of the International Graphonomics Society. Graphonomics in Human Body Movement: Bridging Research and Practice from Motor Control to Handwriting Analysis and Recognition.^[8]

International Graphonomics Society

As mentioned above, the IGS was created at the 1985 international conference with the main purpose being to coordinate and assist in the growth and development of the field of graphonomics in all its forms.^[6] This has been done through conferences, workshops and publication of proceedings from those events.

IGS Publications

As the main academic body for graphonomics, the IGS publishes a biannual bulletin as well as proceedings of the biennial conference. The Bulletin of the International Graphonomics Society is published by the IGS in March and November each year and it is the primary means of communication among IGS members and the public. A complete list of past BIGS issues is available online.^[9] Conference proceedings are published in the form of a peer-reviewed scientific journal or book shortly after each of the conferences.^[10]

Research topics

Some research topics in graphonomics include:

• Handwriting regeneration - the simulated production of a given recording of handwriting movement. This is realized not using recorded kinematic or kinetic signals but by an abstracted model of human movement control.^[11]
• Handwriting generation - the process of producing handwriting (e.g. pen tip) movements. This usually implies the use of a computer simulation model which can generate handwriting movement and/or shape, producing newly generated text in a manner similar to the handwriting of an individual person.
• Handwriting Production Fluency - Measures of the ability of handwriting in the integral of the absolute of the acceleration signal (velocity peaks), or alternatively the absolute of the integral of the jerk time function.

See also

• Graphemics
• Writing systems
• Grammatology
• Letterform
• Terminology in graphonomics

References

1. Kao, H (1986). Graphonomics: Contemporary Research in Handwriting (Advances in Psychology). Elsevier Science Ltd; 1 edition (September 1986).
2. Van Gemmert, Arend; Contreras-Vidal, Jose (October 2015). "Graphonomics and its contribution to the field of motor behavior: A position statement". Human Movement Science. 43: 165–168. doi:10.1016/j.humov.2015.08.017. PMID 26365103. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
3. Van Gemmert, "Studies on Fine Motor Control, Its Development and Disorders Human Movement Science 25.4-5 (2006): 447-53", Advances in Graphonomics
4. "IGS Past Conferences". International Graphonomics Society. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
5. Kao, H.S.R.; van Galen, G.P.; Hoosain, R., eds. (September 1986), "Preface", Graphonomics: Contemporary Research in Handwriting, Advances in Psychology, vol. 37, Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Elsevier Science Publishers, pp. v, ISBN 0-444-70047-1, During the [Nijmegen, 1982] Workshop week, an informal coinage of the word Graphonomics was greeted with enthusiastic reception by participants and a unifying concept to signify the multidisciplinary nature of the new science of handwriting research.
6. "Graphonomics Origin". International Graphonomics Society. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
7. "Conferences > Past Conferences". International Graphonomics Society. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
8. "IGS 2023: Conference of the International Graphonomics Society". IGS. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
9. "Bulletin of the International Graphonomics Society (BIGS)". International Graphonomics Society. Retrieved January 13, 2011.
10. "IGS Special Issues & Proceedings". International Graphonomics Society. Retrieved January 13, 2011.
11. Tucha, Oliver, Lara Tucha, and Klaus W. Lange. """Graphonomics, Automaticity and Handwriting Assessment." Literacy 42.3 (2008): 145-55. Print.". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

• International Graphonomics Society (IGS)