An Add-on to Control Your Computer Using Your Eyes

One of the most difficult things that can happen to a technology enthusiast is to lose control of his or her hands due to Lou Gehrig’s Disease or a spinal cord energy. So much of what we do on computers depends on our hands. I have heard of violinists who have had great difficulty with the same issue of not being able to use their hands as they did in the past. It is a very unfortunate situation when doing what you are passionate about is dependent on your body. For computer aficionados with limited hand mobility, there is hope, however. There is actually a device you can add on to your computer that will allow you to control your computer using your eyes, instead of your hands. It’s called the Tobii PCEye. Here’s how it works:

1.  You hook the Tobii PCEye up to your computer. Once it’s set up, you just have to calibrate the device to adjust to your personal eyes. Once calibrated, the device immediately recognizes where your eyes are and how they are moving. It works even if you are wearing glasses or contacts.

2. When the Tobii PCEye is up and running, your eyes will essentially become your mouse. When you move your eyes to the left, your computer’s cursor will move to the left. If you want to click on something, all you have to do is stare at it for a few seconds, and your computer will register that you want to click on it.

3. You’re given a control panel to help you do things like right click. You can access this control panel by clicking on the icon for it with your eyes.

4. If you want to type on your computer, all you need to do is shift your gaze in the right places on an on-screen keyboard. Or you can use Tobii’s spot-on voice recognition technology to speak what you need typed.

5. This add-on is compatible with all Windows PCs and most software programs. If you’re a Mac user, you may have to wait a little while for an add-on like this to become accessible to you.

This technology is most definitely good news for those with limited mobility issues. Right now the Tobii PCEye costs around $6000 or more. Hopefully as time goes on and technology becomes even more advanced, devices like the Tobii PCEye will go down in price and become affordable for everyone who needs them.