International Journal Of Computer Science And Applications Vol. 6, No.

2, Apr 2013 ISSN: 0974-1011 (Open Access)

Available at: www.researchpublications.org

“EYE GAZE TECHNOLOGY”

Submitted By
Mr. Shivhari Eknathrao Lokhande Sagar D. Dharkar
Final Year Information Technology, Final Year Information Technology ,
Anuradha Engineering College Chikhli. Anuradha Engineering College Chikhli.
Contact No. :- 9763694499 Contact No. :- 9404532754
Email ID :- shivharilokhande@gmail.com Email ID:-sagardharkar237@gmail.com

.
Abstract interaction easier, more intuitive, and more efficient.
As the number of computer devices Interaction with computers is not limited to
increases around us, and the increasing time we keyboards and printers anymore. Different kinds of
spend for interacting with such devices, peoples pointing devices, touch-sensitive surfaces, high-
are strongly interested in finding new interaction resolution displays, microphones, and speakers are
methods which ease the use of computers or normal devices for computer interaction now a days.
increase interaction efficiency. Eye tracking seems There are new modalities for computer interaction
to be a promising technology to achieve this goal. like speech interaction, input by gestures or by
The Eye gaze System is a communication and tangible objects with sensors. A further input
control system for people with complex physical modality is eye gaze which nowadays finds its
disabilities. You run the system with your eyes. By application in
looking at control keys displayed on a screen, a
person can synthesize speech, control his accessibility systems. Such systems typically use eye
environment (lights, appliances, etc.), type, gaze as the sole input, but outside the field of
operate a telephone, run computer software, accessibility eye gaze can be combined with any
operate a computer mouse, and access the other input modality.
Internet and e-mail. Eye gaze Systems are being Therefore, eye gaze could serve as an interaction
used to write books, attend school and enhance the method beyond the field of accessibility. The aim of
quality of life of people with disabilities all over this work is to find new forms of interactions
the world. utilizing eye gaze and suitable for standard users.
The Eye gaze, a communication & control system
Keywords: you run with your eyes. The Eye gaze
Eye gaze, Blurred vision, adequate vision, System is a direct-selectvision-controlled
Automatic Eye Acquisition. communication and control system. It was developed
in Fairfax, Virginia, by LC Technologies, Inc.[1]

I. INTRODUCTION

With the invention of the computer in the

middle of the last century there was also the need of
an interface for users. In the beginning experts used
teletype to interface with the computer. Due to the
tremendous progress in computer technology in the
last decades, the capabilities of computers increased
enormously and working with a computer became a
normal activity for nearly everybody. With all the
possibilities a computer can offer, humans and their
interaction with computers are now a limiting factor.
This gave rise to a lot of research in the field of
HCI (human computer interaction) aiming to make

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Available at: www.researchpublications.org

1/2 second. Several common eye movement

problems may interfere with Eye gaze use. [2]

These includes,

• Nystagmus (constant, involuntary

movement of the eyeball)

The user may not be able to fix his gaze long

enough to make eye gaze selections.

• Alternating strabismus (eyes cannot be

directed to the same object, either one
FIGURE 1 : DIRECT-SELECTVISION-CONTROLLED deviates)
COMMUNICATION AND CONTROL SYSTEM
The Eye gaze System is constantly tracking
the same single eye. If, for example, a user with
This system is mainly developed for those who alternating strabismus is operating the Eye gaze
lack the use of their hands or voice. Only System with the right eye, and that eye begins to
requirements to operate the Eye gaze are control of at deviate, the left eye will take over and focus on the
least one eye with good vision & ability to keep head screen. The Eye gaze camera, however, will continue
fairly still. Eye gaze Systems are in use around the to take pictures of the right eye, and the System will
world. Its users are adults and children with cerebral not be able to determine where the user's left eye is
palsy, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, ALS, focused. When the left eye deviates and the right eye
multiple sclerosis, brainstem strokes, muscular is again fixed on the screen the Eye gaze System will
resume predicting the gaze point. Putting a partial eye
dystrophy, and Werdnig Hoffman syndrome. Eye
patch over the nasal side of the eye not being
gaze Systems are being used in homes, offices, observed by the camera often solves this tracking
schools, hospitals, and long term care facilities. By problem. Since only the unpatched eye can the
looking at control keys displayed on a screen, a screen, it will continuously focus on the screen. By
person can synthesize speech, control his applying only a nasal-side patch to the other eye, the
environment (lights, appliances, etc.), type, operate a user will retain peripheral vision on that side.[3]
telephone, run computer software, operate a
computer mouse, and access the Internet and e-mail. b. Adequate vision
Eye gaze Systems are being used to write books,
attend school and enhance the quality of life of Several common vision problems may affect a
user's ability to see text clearly on the Eye gaze
people with disabilities all over the world. In 2008
monitor. These include the following:
LC Technologies Introduced the new technique
called Eye Gaze Communication System. LC B. Inadequate Visual acuity
Technologies is leader in research and development
of Eye tracking Technologies. [1] The user must be able to see text on the screen
clearly. If, prior to his injury or the onset of his
II. WHO’S USING THE EYE GAZE illness he wore glasses, he may need corrective
SYSTEM? lenses to operate the Eye gaze System. If he's over 40
years old and has not had his vision checked
recently, he might need reading glasses in order to
A. The skills needed by the user see the screen clearly. In most cases,
a. Good control of one eye

The user must be able to look up, down, left and eye tracking works well with glasses. The
right. He must be able to fix his gaze on all areas of a calibration
15-inch screen that is about 24 inches in front of his lens boundary splits the image of the pupil, making it
face. He must be able to focus on one spot for at least difficult for the system's image processing software
to determine the pupil center accurately. Graded

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Available at: www.researchpublications.org

bifocals, however, typically do not interfere with eye moves away from the camera's field of view and then
tracking. Soft contact lenses that cover all or most of returns. Even though the System's eye search is
the cornea generally work well with the Eye gaze completed in just a second or two, it will be more
System. The corneal reflection is obtained from the tiring for a user with constant head movement to
contact lens surface rather than the cornea itself. operate the System.[4]
Small, hard contacts can interfere, if the lens moves
around considerably on the cornea and causes the
corneal reflection to move across the discontinuity
between the contact lens and the cornea.[2] H. Mental abilities that improve the probability for
successful Eye gaze use
C. Diplopia (double vision)
a. Cognition
Diplopia may be the result of an injury to the
brain, or a side effect of many commonly prescribed Cognitive level may be difficult to assess in
medications, and may make it difficult for the user to someone who is locked in, especially if a rudimentary
fix his gaze on a given point..[3] communication system has not been established. In
general, a user with average intelligence will best
D. Blurred vision maximize the capabilities of an Eye gaze System.[3]

Another occurrence associated with some b. Ability to read

brain injuries, as well as a side effect of medications,
a blurred image on the screen decreases the accuracy At present, the Eye gaze System is configured
of eye fixations.[1] for users who are literate. The System is text-based.
A young child
E. Cataracts (clouding of the lens of the eye) with average intelligence may not be reading yet,
but
If a cataract has formed on the portion of the probably has the capability to learn to read at an
lens that covers the pupil, it may prevent light from average age. He may be able to recognize words, and
passing through the pupil to reflect off the retina. may be moving his eyes in a left to right pattern in
Without a good retinal reflection the Eye gaze preparation for reading. As an interim solution many
System cannot accurately predict the user's eye teachers and parents stick pictures directly onto the
fixations. The clouded lens may also make it difficult screen. When the child looks at the picture activates
for a user to see text on the screen clearly. Surgical the Eye gaze key that is located directly underneath
removal of the cataracts will normally solve the it.[3]
problem and make Eye gaze use possible.[3]
c. Memory
F. Homonymous hemianopsia (blindness or
defective vision in the right or left halves of the Memory deficits are a particular concern in
visual fields of both eyes) considering the Eye gaze System for someone with a
brain injury. A user who can't remember from one
This may make calibration almost impossible if day to the next how to operate the system may find it
the user cannot see calibration points on one side of too difficult to use effectively. [4]
the screen.
III. HOW DOES THE EYE GAZE SYSTEM
G. Ability to maintain a position in front of the Eye WORK?
gaze monitor
As a user sits in front of the Eye gaze monitor, a
It is generally easiest to run the System from an specialized video camera mounted below the monitor
upright, seated position, with the head centered in observes one of the user's eyes. Sophisticated image-
front of the Eye gaze monitor. However the Eye gaze processing software in the Eye gaze System's
System can be operated from a semi-reclined position computer continually analyzes the video image of the
if necessary. eye and determines where the user is looking on the
Continuous, uncontrolled head movement can screen. Nothing is attached to the user's head or
make Eye gaze operation difficult, since the Eye gaze body.
System must relocate the eye each time the user

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specified period of time. The gaze duration required

to visually activate a key, typically a fraction of a
second, is adjustable. An array of menu keys and
exit keys allow the user to navigate around the Eye
gaze programs independently. The image processing
functions in the Edge Analysis System are all
implemented in software. The eye tracking functions
compute the raw gaze point coordinates each 60th of a
second in synchronization with the field rate of the
video camera. At each sampling iteration, the eye
tracking software places the measured eye gaze data
into data structures where it is readily available to the
application program.[10]
FIGURE 2 : STRUCTURE OF SYSTEM

In detail the procedure can be described as

follows: The Eye gaze System uses the
pupil-center/corneal reflection method to determine
where the user is looking on the screen. An infrared-
sensitive video camera, mounted beneath the
System's monitor, takes 60 pictures per second of the
user's eye. A low power, infrared light emitting diode
(LED), mounted in the center of the camera's lens
illuminates the eye. The LED reflects a small bit of
light off the surface of the eye's cornea. The light also
shines through the pupil and reflects off of the retina,
the back surface of the eye, and causes the pupil to
appear white. The bright-pupil effect enhances the
camera's image of the pupil and makes it easier for
the image processing functions to locate the center of
the pupil. The computer calculates the person's gaze FIGURE 3 : WORKING OF SYSTEM
point, i.e., the coordinates of where he is looking on
the screen, based on the relative positions of the pupil V. ENVIRONMENT REQUIRED FOR AN
center and corneal reflection within the video image EYE GAZE SYSTEM
of the eye. Typically the Eye gaze System predicts
the gaze point with an average accuracy of a quarter Eye gaze system must take care of light sources
inch or better. Prior to operating the eye tracking in the room in order to ensure the best accuracy,
applications, the Eye gaze System must learn several because eye tracking is done using infrared light. The
physiological properties of a user's eye in order to be Eye gaze System
able to project his gaze point accurately. The system must be operated in an environment where there is
learns these properties by performing a calibration limited of ambient infrared light. Common sources of
procedure. The user calibrates the system by fixing infrared light are sunlight and incandescent light
his gaze on a small yellow circle displayed on the bulbs. The System makes its predictions based on the
screen, and following it as it moves around the assumption that the only source of infrared light
screen. The calibration procedure usually takes about shining on the user's eye is coming from the center of
15 seconds, and the user does not need to recalibrate the camera. Therefore, stray sources of infrared may
if he moves away from the Eye gaze System and degrade the accuracy or prevent Eye gaze operation
returns later.[8] altogether. The System works best away from
windows, and in a room lit with fluorescent or
IV. HOW TO RUN THE EYEGAZE mercury-vapor lights, which are low in infrared.[3]
SYSTEM?

A user operates the Eye gaze System by looking

at rectangular keys that are displayed on the control
screen. To "press" an Eye gaze key, the user looks at
the key for a

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program stores up to 126 messages, which can be

composed and easily changed to suit the user.[11]
.
b. Type writer Program

Simple word processing can be done using the

Typewriter Program. The user types by looking at
keys on visual keyboards. Four keyboard
configurations, simple to complex, are available.
Typed text appears on the screen above the keyboard
display. The user may "speak" or print what he has
typed. He may also store typed text in a file to be
retrieved at a later time. The retrieved text may be
verbalized, edited or printed. [10]
FIGURE 4 : ENVIRONMENT REQUIRED

VI. APPLICATIONS

A. MENUS OF EYEGAZE SYSTEM

The main menu: The Main Menu appears

on the screen as soon as the user completes a 15-
second calibration procedure. The Main Menu
presents a list of available Eye gaze programs. The
user calls up a desired program by looking at the Eye
gaze key next to his program choice.[10]

FIGURE 6 : TYPE WRITER

c. The telephone program

The telephone program allows the user to place

and receive calls. Frequently used numbers are stored
in a telephone "book". Non-verbal users may access
the speech synthesizer to talk on the phone.

FIGURE 5 : MAIN MENU

B. Main Menu options:

a. The Phrase Program

The Phrases program, along with the speech

synthesizer, provides quick communications for non-
verbal users. Looking at a key causes a
preprogrammed message to be spoken. The Phrases FIGURE 7 : TELEPHONE

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The Read Text Program allows the user to select

d. Run Second PC text for display and to "turn pages" with his eyes.
Any ASCII format text can be loaded for the user to
The Run Second PC program permits the Eye access. Books on floppy disk are available from
gaze Communication System to act as a peripheral Services for the Blind.[11]
keyboard and
Mouse interface to a Windows computer. The user h. Television
can run any off-the-shelf software he chooses on the
second computer. He can access the Internet, and Television programs can be displayed directly on
send e-mail by looking at keyboard and mouse the desktop Eye gaze System screen. On-screen
control screens on the Eye gaze monitor. The volume and channel controls provide independent
programs being run are displayed on the second operation. (Not available on the Portable Eye gaze
computer's monitor. Typed text appears System.)
simultaneously on the Eye gaze and second pc's
screens. For children, two new Eye gaze programs VII. NEW PORTABLE EYEGAZE SYSTEM
have been added to the Eye gaze System. Both run
with the Second PC option. Eye Switch is a big, The Portable Eye gaze System can be mounted
basic on-screen switch to run "cause & effect" on a weighs wheelchair and run from a 12-volt
software programs on a Second PC. Simple Mouse battery or wall
is an easy mouse control program to provide outlet. It only 6 lbs (2.7 kg) and its dimensions are
simplified access to educational software on a Second 2.5"x8"x9" (6.5cm x20cm x23cm). The Portable Eye
PC.[10] gaze System comes with a flat screen monitor and a
table mounts for its monitor. The monitor can be
lifted off the table mount and slipped into a
wheelchair mount.[11]

FIGURE 8 : FREQUENCY KEYBOARD

e. The Lights & appliances Program

The Lights & appliances Program which

includes computer-controlled switching equipment, FIGURE 9 : THE PORTABLE EYE GAZE SYSTEM
MOUNTED ON A WEIGHS WHEELCHAIR
provides Eye gaze control of lights and appliances
anywhere in the home or office. No Special house
wiring is necessary. The user turns appliances on and VIII. UPCOMING TECHNOLOGY
off by looking at a bank of switches displayed on the
screen.[10]
A. Totally Free Head Motion
f. Paddle games & Score Four
This new technology solves eye tracking’s
These are the visually controlled Games. tolerance-to-head-motion challenge once and for all.
The Eye gaze System’s Eyefollower™2.0
g. Read Text Program accommodates all natural head motions during
normal computer operation. The user can sit back, sit

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Available at: www.researchpublications.org

up, slouch down, move side to side, reach over to the [2] Linda E. Sibert , Robert J.K. Jacob, ”
mouse, operate the keyboard, and move close to the Evaluation of
screen to examine a display at close rang. Eye Gaze Interaction ”,2003

B. Automatic Eye Acquisition [3] Markus Ablaßmeier, Tony Poitschke, Frank

Wallhoff, KLaus Bengler∗ and Gerhard Rigoll ,
The Eyefollower™2.0 automatically acquires “Eye Gaze studies comparing head-up and
the eyes when the user enters the workspace, and it head-down displays in vehicles”,2008
rapidly re-acquires the eyes when he returns his
attention to the screen after turning his head away. [4] Javed I. Khan and Oleg Komogortsev, ”A
Hybrid
C. Binocular Eye tracking Scheme for Perceptual Object Window Design
with
The Eyefollower™2.0 tracks both eyes over the JointScene Analysis and Eye-Gaze Tracking
full range of head motion. The gaze point sampling for
rate is 120 Hz. Media Encoding based on Perceptual
Attention”,
D. High Gaze point Tracking Accuracy 2008.

The Eye gaze System achieves its highly

accurate 0.45 degree gaze point tracking accuracy [5] Anup Dosh and Mohan Manubhai Trivedi, ”On
throughout the operational head range. the Roles of Eye Gaze and Head Dynamics in
Predicting Driver’s Intent to Change Lanes” ,
E. Easy User Calibration IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INTELLIGENT
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, VOL. 10, NO.
The user calibration employs the same, easy 3, SEPTEMBER 2009
procedure used with the fixed-camera Eye gaze
System. [6] Jian-Gang Wang, Eric Sung, Ronda
Venkateswarlu, ”Eye Gaze Estimation from a
IX. CONCLUSION Single Image of One Eye”,Proceedings of the
Ninth IEEE International Conference on
Today, the human Eye-gaze can be recorded by Computer Vision (ICCV 2003) 2-Volume Set0-
relatively unremarkable techniques. This thesis 7695-1950-4/03 $17.00 © 2003 IEEE
argues that it is possible to use the Eye-gaze of a
computer user in the interface to aid the control of the [7] Erickson, K. and Koppenhaver, D. (2007)
application. Care must be taken, though, that Eye- Children with Disabilities: Readingand Writing
gaze tracking data is used in a sensible way, since the the Four-Block Way®. Greensboro, NC:
nature of human eye-movements is a combination of Carson-Dellosa.
several voluntary and involuntary cognitive
processes.
The main reason for Eye-gaze based user [8] Kar-Han Tan,Department of CS andBeckman
interfaces being attractive is that the direction of the InstituteUniversity of Illinoisat Urbana-
Eye-gaze can express the interests of the user-it is a Champaign,” Appearance-based Eye Gaze
potential porthole into the current cognitive Estimation”2009
processes-and communication through the direction
of the eyes is faster than any other mode of human
communication. [9] R. Alex Colburn,Michael F. Cohen,Steven M.
Drucker,” The Role of Eye Gaze inAvatar
Mediated Conversational Interfaces”2006
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[10] Ruigang Yang1 and Zhengyou Zhang,” Eye

[1] Heiko Drewes , “Eye Gaze Tracking for Human Gaze Correction with Stereovision for Video-
Computer Interaction”,2010 Teleconferencing”2001

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Available at: www.researchpublications.org

[11] Susanna Nilsson*¨, Torbjörn Gustafsson§ and

Per Carleberg,” Hands Free Interaction with [14] M. Farid , F. Murtagh, J.L. Starck, “Computer
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[15] Martin Böhme, André Meyer, Thomas
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[13] Kyung-Nam Kim and R. S. Ramakrishna,”

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