Submitted by administrator on
A breakthrough for children who are unable, due to disablement, to use a standard or modified keyboard or mouse, can now have all the fun of online and computer gaming using just their eyes.
A project at the UK University of De Montfort is working on new games that will allow severely-disabled children to participate in playing. By learning to control computer games using eye tracking, it is intended to also enable the children to navigate real-world daily environments. Researchers have said that using eye control adds an entirely new level of intelligence to computer games. This particular area of research has been investigated for a number of years, in particular using eye tracking as a method of interacting with technical devices. The project is working hard on developing accessible, and importantly a system that will be of reasonable cost, which will open the world to youngsters that ordinarily would be exempt due to their disablement.
By looking at various points on a screen they will be able to virtually push buttons by staring at them. The tracking is achieved by using infrared light to pinpoint where the eyes are looking. The device then takes measurements of the eye movements as they navigate around a screen. The eyes focusing on a virtual button on the screen is akin to using a mouse and cursor to "click" on the button. The team worked closely with a local school for special needs. Children with very limited mobility will be able to learn how to move around virtual environments which could be mapped out on blue prints of actual buildings for example. The ever growing market of touchscreen tablet computers that utilise gestures and swiping motions on computers is just evidence of the change in how people interact already with computers at home and in work.
Obviously the games industry would undoubtedly take on the idea of eye tracking technology should they be able to make it affordable and mainstream. Any household with a disabled member already will be aware of the additional costs in purchasing items that are specifically designed as disabled-aids. It is a market worth millions. Eye tracking is also being developed across other areas of disability, in particular Autism and those on the Austistic Spectrum.
Studies in the United States are using it to investigate children who are diagnosed with autism as generally these individuals are less likely to look into people's eyes and maintain eye contact and prefer to fix gaze at inanimate objects or bodies. This could open a world of communication for disabled people who otherwise are exempt from participating in a tasks that the majority of us take for granted. Eyes are truly a window to the soul perhaps?