Eye Gaze

The Tobii I-Series Eye Gaze computers are speech generating devices that enable effective and age-relevant communication. These devices are controlled through gaze interaction via built-in eye trackers. These cameras track the eyes of the user, enabling them to move the mouse pointer around. You can then ‘click’ by blinking or dwelling (staring at the screen for a certain length of time). This click could be at an object on the screen and once clicked on, a pre-recorded word or phrase is spoken by the computer.

The Tobii I-Series

So for example Abbie would start with basic pictures:

• A banana – “ I would like a banana”
• Peppa Pig DVD cover – “I would like to watch Peppa Pig”
• Part of the body “my head/arm/foot etc hurts”
• The bath – “I would like a bath”
• Yawning – “I’m tired, can I rest”
• Mum – “This is my mummy, she is fab!” ;)
• Her brothers “these are my brothers, they are smelly boys”!! ;0

She will also learn through play (as any 2 year old would!) so there are games where she can:

• Throw custard pies at pictures of family members
• Spray water on objects
• Activate objects to move

As she progresses she could be able to:

• Choose a book and have it read out to her as she turns the pages
• Choose a DVD and press ‘play’ and watch it on the eye gaze

And as she reaches school age there would be no reason why she could not:

• Learn to count
• Learn her phonics
• Learn to read

And by the time she is a teenager she could be:

• Writing and sending e-mails
• Listening to music and reading magazines
• Chatting to people on Facebook, Skype
• Surfing the web
• Probably asking us to dye her hair pink, having a teenage tantrum and slamming a virtual door - but that’s what we want!!! – that is communication!!!

So you can see that an eye gaze computer will open up Abbie’s world like nothing else can and help her live a more independent and integrated life.

Visit www.tobii.com for more information.