For the millions who suffer from multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries or amputees there may soon be a way to interact with computers using just their eyes.
According to recently released information from ScienceDaily, the device will not only be affordable, but is made from easily acquired materials. The device tracks eye movements to monitor exactly where a person is looking, allowing them an on-screen cursor, just like one would using a mouse.
The technology was just presented on July 13th in the Journal of Neural Engineering, and researchers from Imperial College London held a demonstration with users playing the classic computer game Pong without any tactile controllers. Video of this demonstration can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zapK5wvYU84
The learning curve was almost non-existent, as six of the subjects, who had never used their eyes as a control input before, were still able to score within 20% of the able bodied users after the first 10 minutes with the device. Users also demonstrated browsing the web and composing emails hands-free.
The device is made up of two fast video game console cameras, costing less than $32 each, that are attached, outside of the line of vision, to a pair of glasses that cost just around $5. The cameras constantly take pictures of the eye, working out where the pupil is pointing, and from this the researchers can use a set of calibrations to work out exactly where a person is looking on the screen.
Even more impressive, the researchers were also able to use more detailed calibrations to work out the 3D gaze of the subjects — in other words, how far into the distance they were looking. It is believed that this could allow people to control an electronic wheelchair simply by looking where they want to go or control a robotic prosthetic arm.
The commercially viable device uses just one watt of power and can transmit data wirelessly over Wi-Fi or via USB into any Windows or Linux computer.
The system has also solved the ‘Midas touch problem’, allowing users to click on an item on the screen using their eyes, instead of a mouse button. Previously, this issue was resolved by staring at an icon for a prolonged period or blinking. The issue with this solution is that blinking happens naturally, and unintentionally, so the researchers calibrated the system to respond so that a wink would represent a mouse click. Since winking occurs voluntarily, it’s a much more effective solution.
Not only is the device a 3D eye-tracking system, but it is hundreds of times cheaper than commercial devices, and allows real-time interactions with users that are faster and smoother than what is currently available. No word on a release date yet, but soon affordable devices can help people worldwide independent of their healthcare circumstances.
See The Dark Knight Rises in IMAX – or don’t
Like many other nerds, I am anxiously awaiting the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises, the highly anticipated final chapter of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Nolan shot over an hour of the film using IMAX cameras, whose frame is about 10 times the size of that of a standard movie camera. Critics have raved about the look of the film, and the director himself noted that those who view the film in IMAX “are going to see something they can’t see anywhere else and will have never seen before, frankly.”
But hold on, there’s a catch. A quick look at movie listings on Fandango would lead you to believe that you can see The Dark Knight Rises in IMAX in any number of local multiplexes. However, in most of these places, you would be watching a digital print of the film being shown with an IMAX brand digital projector. A True IMAX venue has screens that are at least 72 feet wide by 52 feet tall, while IMAX Digital screens are significantly smaller. You’ll still pay more though; theaters charge around $5 more for tickets to movies shown in IMAX Digital.
So if you’re in the Philadelphia area, you can either make the trek out to the UA King of Prussia IMAX or get tickets at the Tuttleman IMAX at the Franklin Institute. Or if you’re more adventurous, you can take a ride to the Tropicana IMAX in Atlantic City and make a weekend of it. I’m not a huge fan of I-76 so King of Prussia is out for me. I’m also old, so probably no trip to AC tomorrow night. And I have a feeling that the dome shaped theater at the Franklin Institute might make me nauseous, so I’ll be watching on a standard sized screen. I’m sure it will still be awesome.
Here’s where you can see The Dark Knight Rises in True 70mm IMAX