Eye Tracking Devices For Als Patients

The authors assessed patients quality of.

Eye tracking devices for als patients.

We all know how access to the internet can expand our horizons and help us connect with others. Thanks to technological advances such as gaze interaction an eye tracking technology people with als can find comfort enrichment and fulfillment with full control of their computers and access to the internet. By pete norloff jun 25 2020. Als patients are no different.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis als which is also called lou gehrig s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The i 13 and i 16 enable people with disabilities to gain access to a computer and communicate with just their eyes. These devices use eye movement to activate a letter word or phrase on a computer screen which can then be spoken by the computer for communication purposes. How eye tracking technology improves life for als patients.

13 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have typically been the target population for these devices 14 15 another suggested use as a communication device in the icu has not been well. The lightest fastest speech generating device just got better with outdoor eye tracking that works even in bright sunlight. On the other hand alternative communication aids for patients with neuro motor disorders controlling wheel chair or various devices through human computer interfaces 47 gaze tracking based. Eye tracking communication devices detect eye movement and position then integrate the data to create a gaze point for computer screen selections.

On average most patients are diagnosed with the disease when they re 55 years old and eventually suffer from a complete loss of speech. And now with eye control of the screen possible outdoors it s ready for even the brightest days. To use eye gaze devices the person living with als needs to be able to use the muscles that control upper lower and lateral eye movement. Here the authors ask whether the use of an eye tracking assistive device can improve quality of life for als patients and relieves burden of their primary caregivers.

Als in its later stages can take away a person s ability to speak or operate a keyboard manually. While eye tracking devices have been around in some form for more than 25 years they weren t really available for most als patients until medicare started to pay for them in 2001.