Using eye movements as an input device: Eye tracking technology based exercise systems are used to treat low vision and lazy eye problems.
People with low vision are not totally blind, but they have difficulty seeing clearly. To maintain a high quality of life, they need to manage and improve their vision impairment. People with low vision can improve their remaining vision by practicing eye movements. Eye movement training may help them improve their remaining vision. Low vision rehabilitation services and materials can help individuals with low vision learn new techniques to improve their ability to function in daily life. However, these services often rely on low-tech materials and devices that may not be as effective as more innovative solutions. It is important to provide people with low vision with innovative, affordable, effective tools and techniques to help them improve their vision and quality of life.
Eye tracking technology is used to achieve this purpose. Eye tracking is a technology that analyzes and tracks the movements of a person's eyes. This technology is commonly used in psychology and market research studies to understand how people view and process information. Eye movement-based exercise systems are efficient and effective ways to enhance the quality of life for people who need vision improvement. Some vision abilities can be enhanced by training the eyes with eye movement games. Using serious games is an appropriate method to increase the likelihood that people will continue to do eye exercises, as they motivate people to do the exercises and provide objective results.
Repeated eye movement serious game exercises can be beneficial for individuals with low vision, helping them increase their vision and reach their optimal potential eyesight. Simply, the goal of such serious games is to improve their visual abilities. These games are played using the user's eye movements and respond accordingly. The following video is an example of such a game. It was developed by Dr. Kürşat Çağıltay's Human Computer Interaction research group.
The child with lazy eye problem plays a Brick Breaker game using her left eye movements: