Eye-Tracking Device Enables Handsfree Computer Interaction

The mouse has long been the primary device with which we interact with our computers – the mouse, and of course the keyboard itself. But with new technology comes new opportunities to further increase our interaction with the computer, and at the same time, make it a whole lot more relaxed. There have been countless numbers of people who have gotten injuries from using a mouse. A far better solution would be to let an eye-tracking device help us move the cursor on the screen.

That is at least what the people over at 4tiitoo in Munich, Germany think. They have been working on eye-tracking devices for over 2 years, and they finally managed to find a solution that we can all afford and use. It’s a kind of Kinect accessory, that with the help of advanced algorithms, helps the Kinect track your eyes and convert them into cursor understandable data such as x and y movements. It then feeds the computer this data which enables you to move the mouse cursor on the screen by just using your eyes.

It sounds almost too good to be true, but the technology works, and it could mean a huge upgrade from the old computer mouse. Not only that, but this eye-tracking solution will actually prevent injuries from using a mouse, which is something I am sure will mean a lot for people with mouse arm injuries that prevent them from using a computer at all.

The eyeCharm (as it is dubbed) eye-tracking Kinect accessory is a stratup project looking for funding through Kickstarter to enter the final stages of production and promotion. The startup is looking to raise $100,000 within 27 days, and by the looks of things it doesn’t seem impossible. By pledging just $50.00, you will get the eyeCharm, the accompanying apps and the SDK in order to create your own apps and functions. If this product takes off, we could be looking at a whole new revolution where we’ll use our eyes to interact with our computers instead of our mice. The question is whether or not we are ready to make the switch yet. What is your opinion?

eyeCharm Eye-Tracking Kinect Accessory