Headtracker for Eye-Controlled Rehabilitation Computer

The research is for a critical improvement to the Eyegaze System which, through eyetracking, allows people to operate a computer by eye movement while looking at a monitor. The long-term objective is to develop a "headtracker' component for people with motor disabilities whose eyes are difficult to track because they have limited control of head motion. The aim of Phase I is to demonstrate the feasibility of tracking a wide range of erratic head motion, in real time, with a video camera. The methodology will be to write image-processing, video-control algorithms and software and to demonstrate effective software and hardware operation on a breadboard system. Phase I research will provide the technical basis for the commercial development of an innovative rehabilitation technology. It will lead to a unique, user-friendly system interface and remove any burden on the user for special head positioning. The availability of a headtracker will greatly expand the market for eye-controlled computers. The expansion of this market will be useful for people with a variety of disabilities resulting from cerebral palsy, high spinal cord injuries, head injuries, strokes, and other neurologic disorders.