Samsung Reveals Eye-Tracking Mouse for the Disabled

Samsung has unveiled its next-generation EyeCan+ "eye mouse"—a portable box that sits below a monitor to wirelessly allow disabled people to interact with the computer.

It's easy to take for granted the ease of using a computer mouse, but those suffering from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) or locked-in syndrome often can't move their bodies, let alone scroll or double click.

So Samsung has been developing a new technology to make it easier for the paralyzed to play online games, surf the Web, and create and edit text documents.

Samsung will not commercialize the product, but instead manufacture a limited quantity to donate to charity organizations. The technology and design, however, will soon be made open source, accessible to companies that want to sell their own versions of the eye mouse.

In 2012, Samsung initially tested a Google Glass-like concept, which used a camera mounted to a pair of spectacles to track users' eye movements (see video below). In its second iteration, however, the company ditched the head gear and opted for something more akin to a Microsoft Kinect, with the help of Seoul's Yonsei University graduate student, Hyung-Jin Shin, who helped pilot the initial eye mouse concept.

EyeCan+ requires the user to be between 60 and 70 centimeters from the monitor, seated or laying down. Once calibrated, the system will remember each user's eye characteristics, which can be adjusted for sensitivity.

Its user interface appears as a pop-up menu in one of two modes: rectangular menu board or floating menu wheel; both include 18 different commands, and can be configured to remain at the front of the screen.

All 18 commands—copy, paste, select all, drag and drop, scroll, zoom in, etc.—can be selected by simply looking at the relevant icon and blinking once. Plus, create your own custom commands to include existing keystrokes, like "close program" and "print."

"EyeCan+ is the result of a voluntary project initiated by our engineers, and reflects their passion and commitment to engage more people in our community," SiJeong Cho, vice president of community relations at Samsung, said in a statement.