Samsung hasintroduced a new version of EyeCan+, a device that allows people with disabilities to use computers using their eye movements.
Eye-controlled computers are nothing new in the tech world. They are aimed at people with disabilities who can’t use a keyboard or mouse, and often involve devices that require users to wear glasses or other special accessories. In a blog post on Tuesday, the company that makes such technology introduced the Eyecan+, the first of its kind because it doesn’t require people to wear any accessories. The EyeCan+ is a simple, portable box that sits under a computer screen.
Users must first adjust their eyes to the box frame. This process only needs to be done once after the EyeCan+ records and remembers the correct setting for the user. Users can operate the device either sitting or lying down and just need to stand a little away from the screen. The interface shows a pop-up menu with 18 commands, such as copy, paste, zoom in and others useful for computer operation.
All the user needs to do is look at the icon of the command they want and simply blink their eyes once. EyeCan+ can also create and save custom commands, such as “Ctrl+P”, depending on what the user needs.
Samsung Eyecan+ open source.
Samsung is not promoting the EyeCan+ directly to the market. Instead, it will make the technology open source so that anyone can promote it. However, it will manufacture a limited number of EyeCan+ to be distributed to charities and people with disabilities who cannot use computers.
