06-Mar-2011 00:35

Could we control computers with our 'Eyes'?

For some years computers, games, mobile handsets and now Smartphone technology have been dominated by archaic user interface technology.
The main user devices have been keyboards, controllers, the mouse and even touchscreens…

What could the next generation of user interface technology conceivably look like?

Technological upgrades generally happen in tiny incremental steps, but the world of technology has recently seen a significant push towards more natural user interface controls.

Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect console games have discarded the traditional user control pad, instead utilising motion-capture technology allowing the user to become the controller.

A similar shift is taking place in the computing world. The Swedish company Tobii Technology has recently announced their next generation of computer interface controls -- our eyes.

At last week’s CeBit IT Trade fair in Hanover, Tobii demonstrated its revolutionary eye-tracking technology on a basic Lenovo laptop. The tracker captures the eye movements of the user, allowing the ‘eye’ to open icons, operate menus, zoom and browse emails and documents with a simple glance.

Tobii admit that this technology will not render the keyboard/mouse interface obsolete, but, as they say, “Using our eyes to point, select and scroll is intuitive and complements traditional control interfaces, such as the mouse and keyboard”.

However, this is just the start…

I reckon that if eye-tracking technology can be successfully & economically implemented, the keyboard & mouse combination may suffer a likely demise.

One problem of course, may be that our eyes naturally & restlessly scan the computer screen.

Would this mean that new ‘eye technology’ could, in error, open dozens of new windows or perhaps accidentally delete important documents simply because we weren’t paying attention?

On the other hand, successful ‘eye technology’ could signal an amazing innovation & prove a wonderful boon for the disabled - opening up a world of advanced technology that for many was all but closed till now..

What do you think?