If you thought playing video games with gestures was cool, get ready to have your mind blown. Leading eye tracking and gaze interaction company, Tobii Technology, showcased their EyeX Controller at CES Unveiled 2014, a gadget that allows users to control computers and play games with their eyes.
The EyeX controller is the result of a partnership between Tobii and gaming manufacturer, SteelSeries. The device is a slim, sleek, reflective bar that sits in the fold of your laptop when it is open.
EyeX leverages the existing controls one is used to on a PC such as click, zoom and scroll, but provides a completely new way of interacting since it relies on eye movement. But EyeX isn’t able to do everything on its own: it still requires you to use your keyboard, touchpad, mouse or voice to execute commands. Tobii was demonstrating a couple of supported games at the event. The participants I watched seemed to have no problems using their eyes to move characters around in RPG games like World of Warcraft. There was also a demo of EyeX being used to control Windows 8 applications, showing off the controllers more functional side.
Tobii told us that they are currently putting most of their focus on the developer community in order to build a substantial base of applications compatible with EyeX before launching. To do so, developers will have access to the Tobii EyeX Engine and SDK. They can also purchase a developer unit for $95 , to be released in March.
I asked the Tobii Technology representative if they had plans to integrate the EyeX into a line of laptops and PCs similar to the type of partnership Leap Motion has with HP. They were unable to comment on these types of partnerships at this time but one seems likely.
In a time when new input methods like voice and gesture are being explored, it’s interesting to see the use of eye tracking added to the mix. It’ll be interested to see the types of applications the developers come up with when they get their hands on the device in the spring and whether they convince users that playing with their eyes is worth the cost.
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