Project to pursue eye tracking technology

A computer science professor in Finland is heading up a five-year project aimed at helping people who are paralyzed use their eyes to communicate.

In the project, called the Communication by Gaze Interaction, or COGAIN, the use of eye-tracking technologies could transform the lives of tens of thousands of people with disabilities, Professor Kari-Jouko Raiha of the Finnish University of Tampere said in a statement released Monday.

The basic eye-tracking system consists of a camera, a computer and software to provide an interface between the two. Currently, state of the art equipment is very expensive, but COGAIN hopes to develop new equipment that can provide sufficient resolution at a reasonable cost by using an ordinary Web cam and ambient light.

In addition to people who can only move their eyes, the project also has application for those suffering from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis.

COGAIN hopes to cooperate with other groups working in this field. An open conference will be held this September 4-5 in Turin, Italy.

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