Eye Tracking: Giving a Voice to ALS Patients
Scientists and engineers using eye tracking technology create The EyeWriter. This technology enables people with physical paralysis, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), to communicate with the world using just their eyes. The initial 1.0 prototype was constructed from material found at local hardware and electronics stores. The hardware was composed of cheap sunglasses attached to copper wire and wire ties holding a micro CCD camera with IR LEDs to record eye movements. The Software was derived using open source libraries from openFrameworks. As the wearer moves his eyes to trace letters or draw shapes, the eye tracking camera records the movement and the image apears on a computer screen. The resulting words or pictures can even be projected onto a wall. This technology can not only be used for communication, but also for creative artistic expression. The device was originally developed to permit an artist with ALS to create visual grafitti.
Phase 2 prototype software and documentation is to be made available in September 2009. The technology was a result of collaboration by Graffiti Research Lab, openFrameworks, and The Ebeling Group.
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