System for assisted mobility using eye movements based on electrooculography

• Published in: IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 209 - 218
• Main Authors: Barea, R., Boquete, L., Mazo, M., Lopez, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States IEEE 01.12.2002; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Communication Aids for Disabled; Communication system control; Computer Graphics; Computer interfaces; Computer Peripherals; Disabled Persons - rehabilitation; Electrooculography; Electrooculography - instrumentation; Electrooculography - methods; Equipment Design; Eye movements; Eye Movements - physiology; Humans; Locomotion; Man machine systems; Mice; Pilot Projects; Robotics - instrumentation; Robotics - methods; Sensor systems; Sockets; User interfaces; User-Computer Interface; Wheelchairs
• ISSN: 1534-4320; 1558-0210
• DOI: 10.1109/TNSRE.2002.806829

Describes an eye-control method based on electrooculography (EOG) to develop a system for assisted mobility. One of its most important features is its modularity, making it adaptable to the particular needs of each user according to the type and degree of handicap involved. An eye model based on electrooculographic signal is proposed and its validity is studied. Several human-machine interfaces (HMI) based on EOG are commented, focusing our study on guiding and controlling a wheelchair for disabled people, where the control is actually effected by eye movements within the socket. Different techniques and guidance strategies are then shown with comments on the advantages and disadvantages of each one. The system consists of a standard electric wheelchair with an on-board computer, sensors and a graphic user interface run by the computer. On the other hand, this eye-control method can be applied to handle graphical interfaces, where the eye is used as a mouse computer. Results obtained show that this control technique could be useful in multiple applications, such as mobility and communication aid for handicapped persons.