Abstract
Eye-gaze technology allows individuals with severe physical disabilities and complex communication needs to control a computer or other devices with eye-gaze, thereby enabling them to communicate and participate in society. To date, most research on eye-gaze controlled devices related to persons with disabilities has focused on a single diagnosis in either adults or children and has included only a few participants. This current study utilized a total population survey to identify the prevalence and perceived usability of eye-gaze technology among adults and children in Sweden. Participants were 171 eye-gaze technology users with severe physical and communication impairments, ranging between 4 and 81 years. Cerebral palsy was the most common diagnosis. Daily usage was found in 63%, while 33% had weekly, and 4% had less frequent usage. Adults, compared with children, reported using their computers more frequently (65%/38%; p < 0.01), and for the activities they needed to perform (59%/31%; p < 0.01) and were more satisfied with services, indicating that service providers should prioritize and develop more effective services for children and their parents.
Highlights
Eye-gaze technology provides individuals who have severe physical disabilities and complex communication needs with opportunities to participate in both the digital and the social world
Computers controlled with eye-gaze have been discussed as an assistive technology since the 1990s, it has only been since the early 2000s that eye-gaze controlled devices reliable enough to be used outside laboratory settings have become available [3]
The analysis showed no significant differences between respondents (n = 171) and non-respondents (n = 226) regarding age (t(394) = 0.736, p = 0.462), gender (χ2 (1, n = 397) = 0.372, p = 0.542), years of using the prescribed eye-gaze controlled device (t(391) = 1.260, p = 0.208), or the proportion of persons with various diagnoses (χ2 (6, n = 336) = 9.524, p = 0.146)
Summary
Eye-gaze technology provides individuals who have severe physical disabilities and complex communication needs with opportunities to participate in both the digital and the social world. Users are able to interact with objects on a computer screen by moving their eyes rather than using a mouse or keyboard. This is made possible by a camera mounted on the screen that reads, within a few millimeters, where on the screen the person is gazing [1,2]. Access has been limited due to the high cost of the technology [4] and lack of research on usability for people with disabilities, which may have raised concerns of device abandonment when the novelty of eye-gaze controlled devices subsides. Little is known about who uses the eye-gaze controlled computer, including its application and perceived usability in everyday life [4,5,6]
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