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Development of a gaze-controlled support system for a person in an advanced stage of multiple sclerosis: a case study

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Abstract

A gaze-controlled system was developed to address the specific needs of a person in an advanced stage of Multiple Sclerosis. This patient scored 9 on the EDSS and is representative of a group of patients who can reason normally, but have no functional use of their upper-limbs. The developer and the patient were connected through remote desktop control and could brainstorm a concept to perfection through iterative trial and error. The most important lesson learnt is the importance of user control towards maximum independence. Eventually, the patient was enabled to control his computer efficiently using a novel approach to mouse control together with an on-screen keyboard. He could browse the internet, read e-books, type documents, send and receive e-mails and text messages, draw in a paint application and control his TV through a specially adapted remote control—all by using his eyes to activate commands. The findings suggest that a well-designed eye tracking system can fulfil in the mental and communication needs of patients in this specific category of disability.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to express his gratitude to Mike who patiently tested all the versions and provided extremely valuable feedback. Mike also provided consent that his identity can be disclosed and a photograph of him be published. Appreciation is also expressed to Armand Bester who was responsible for the electronics of the Arduino replacement for the TV remote control.

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  1. Department of Computer Science and Informatics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

    Pieter Blignaut

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  1. Pieter Blignaut
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Correspondence to Pieter Blignaut.

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Blignaut, P. Development of a gaze-controlled support system for a person in an advanced stage of multiple sclerosis: a case study. Univ Access Inf Soc 16, 1003–1016 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-016-0493-9

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