Products from ELAN, HP, Lenovo, Maxeye, Sunrex, Sunwoda, Waltop Certified For USI 1.0 Eco-system

WAKEFIELD, Mass., USA – June 10, 2020 – The Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) launched today the industry’s first open standard, active stylus certification program.  Multiple products already completing USI certification testing include products from ELAN; HP Inc.; Lenovo; Maxeye Smart Technologies Co., Ltd.;  Sunrex Technology Corporation; Sunwoda Electronic Co., Ltd., and Waltop International Corporation.  A list of products using the USI 1.0 specification can be found at https://universalstylus.org/product-showcase/.

Also, Allion Labs, Inc., an international engineering company that provides customized product testing, validation and consulting services, was approved for all USI active stylus certification testing.

To achieve USI certification, a stylus or device must pass the USI standard protocol and electrical testing. The certification program has been defined to verify stylus interoperability across devices from different manufacturers that implement the USI Stylus and Device Specification — the first open standard, active stylus protocol available on the market. When a product passes certification testing, the manufacturer or supplier is granted the right to use the USI logo.

“USI certification provides a company’s product the dual competitive advantages of an open, active stylus standard combined with verification of that product’s interoperability across the USI eco-system,” said Peter Mueller, chairman, USI.  “Launching the certification program is a major milestone toward the industry goal of a single, open, active stylus capable of operating with all the devices that a consumer owns or uses in the workplace or at home.”

USI Certification Program Overview

USI product certification is the process by which a manufacturer certifies that their active stylus product conforms to the USI specification.  This ensure that USI certified products can be distinguished by users as having been rigorously tested and validated.

The USI Certification Program is open to USI members.  Certification is performed by a USI authorized testing facility or, in some cases, a self-certification process is available.  Certified products earn the right to display the USI Certification Mark on the company website, product sales material and packaging

USI 1.0:  First Open, Non-proprietary Active Stylus Specification

The USI 1.0 Specification defines a standard signaling mechanism and communication protocol between a stylus and a touch-enabled device.  USI 1.0 replaces propriety approaches with a single solution allowing a stylus to be used across a wide range of touch-enabled devices, including phones, tablets, computing and entertainment platforms.  For the first time independent hardware vendors (IHVs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the software ecosystem can develop a new generation of active styluses that provide consumers a consistent, customizable and interoperable experience across make, model and form-factor.

About Universal Stylus Initiative

The Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) is a global, not-for-profit technology trade association whose mission is to define industry-wide standards for interoperable communication between an active stylus and touch-enabled devices. The USI specification provides for a stylus capable of communicating with different touch sensors and touch controller integrated circuits, so that users can employ the same stylus across numerous touch-enabled devices, as long as each device’s touch controller is compliant with the USI specification.