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From: brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Eye based computer and world control systems?
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Date: 30 Nov 90 17:49:51 GMT
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Reply-To: brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton)
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Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd.
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Index Number: 12071

This may be a FAQ here.

My uncle, a physicist in Pittsburgh, has suffered a stroke which has
left him almost completely paralysed.  He can move his eyes and facial
muscles, but can't talk as he is unable to breathe unaided.  He can
move his lips and bite.

I would appreciate recommendations on various systems involving eye-tracking,
both as a general control system (switching things on and of, controlling
TV, etc.), communications system (speed of writing, book scanning,
voice sythesis, fax, modem) and finally computer control system for use
of general PC or MAC software.

We are going to investigate one expensive system called Eye-Gaze.  It
does most of this, but can't simulate a mouse, only only runs monochrome
DOS software (using the VGA for the control screens).  Seems to me that if
you have nothing but a pointing device like the eye, this is where you
could really use a GUI!

He's also a MAC person but could obviously switch to what works best.
He would like to add a MIDI card to work with music.  One does not expect
drivers for that directly.  (An adapatable system that a programmer
could work with would be great -- he could configure his own system.  Mind
you, he would need to be able to reboot without touching the system.)

The eventual goal is to let him get back to work, for psychological
reasons and financial ones.  As a physicist, he can work without his
body if need be.

We all hope the stroke abates, but it has been several weeks with no
progress.
-- 
Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473