Eye Gaze Devices

        

        When thinking about technology that can be useful for students, it can be easy to forget about devices that are created specifically for students with special needs.  One device that can be very helpful for students with paralysis or who lack movement in their bodies is an Eye Gaze device.  The way an Eye Gaze device works is by tracking eye movement, and allowing users to control screen settings with just their eyes.  The device looks like a tablet, and can be propped up to the user’s liking by using different types of stands.  The device uses a camera to calibrate the user’s eyes.  This means that whatever an individual wants to control on the screen, they are able to do through controlling their eye movement.

           Many special education classrooms use devices like this as a form of communication, education, and entertainment with students.  I was actually able to see an Eye Gaze device being used in person about two years ago when I helped out in a special education classroom.  The teacher set up the student so that his face was about three feet away from the screen.  Then she chose a game for him to play on the screen where he would look at different instruments to see how their sounds were different from one another.  There were other games such as chasing a butterfly around the screen by staring at it, and counting games as well.  

         I wish that these devices were more easily accessible to all students that could benefit from them.  They tend to cost thousands of dollars, and many schools aren’t able to afford them.  I wanted to write about these devices specifically because I think that they can be so beneficial for students who aren’t able to express themselves through language or movement.  It acts as an outlet for them, and I believe that everybody deserves a way to express themselves. 

To check out more info about these devices, visit:  https://eyegaze.com/products/eyegaze-edge/