EYE GAZER
RomânăSPECIAL PEOPLE DONATED FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN
Last weekend we have received some very good news! Two special people – whom we thank from the bottom of our hearts – Stella and Hussain Al Qemzi – made a donation of 3200 euro to our Association. This will help us to acquire an Eye Gazer Technology “Tobii” device, used for eye-controlled communication.
Before telling you more about how this technology could end the isolation in which kids with speacial needs live, we would like to tell you more about the story behind this special donation.
We are always deeply impressed by how people around us get involved in charity. It is a wonderful thing and ideas are truly amazing! We have recently told you, here, about our friends in a big Bucharest corporation who raised money for the Association by selling food made by them.
This time, Mrs. Stella Al Qemzi asked the guests invited to her birthday party not to buy expensive gifts, but to donate to charity instead. A simple idea, buy extremely helpful, a true gesture of kidness, which could change for the good the lives of some special needs children. We express our gratitude and thank her for her confidence in our goal and for choosing our Association to benefit from the money raised during her birthday party!
How can the Eye Gazer device help children with disabilities?
“Tobii Technology” is a Swedish high technology company which develops and sell eye tracking products. The company is targeting people with mobility and communication problems, for whom they developed various devices meant for communicating with the eyes or by touching. These devices open up a whole new world of opportunities for people with physical disabilities – who cannot move their hands properly – and communication deficiencies. These devices offer their users the ability to access and control various applications, to browse the Internet, to access music or e-books, social media, games and a lot more, only by using the natural movement of the eyes. This allows the users with special needs to live a richer and more independent life. In the same time, the fact that they can communicate and learn using this technology is a huge step towards their personal freedom. As soon as they are no longer prisoners inside their own bodies, this people can express themselves, can connect with the rest of the world and can evolve.
Another very important issue is the opportunity that these technologies offer their users with severe cognitive, physical and sensorial disabilities, to demonstrate abilities well over their regular limits.
Although some eye conditions or problems in processing the eye tracking could prevent progress for some users, it is however expected that the technology will be beneficial for most of the people using it. Children with cognitive disabilities and eye problems of focusing could start with “Tobii” exercises for visual stimulation, such as cause-effect kind of thing. With a lot of patience and exercise, it is possible for users with cerebral palsy who cannot speak, or have cognitive disabilities and for those with genetic disorders who cannot express themselves, to learn the eye-controlled communication system.
“Tobii” company offers its users several devices and softwares specially designed for their various needs and abilities.
“Tobii Eye Mobile” allows the hands free browsing and could run more than 100,000 applications available in Windows 8. It includes “Tobii PCEye Go” – an eye tracking device for the peripheral view (performant cameras which record the eye movement, thus replacing the standard mouse), “Eye Mobile” support and a USB cable, as well as a Windows 8 Pro tablet. The same “Tobii PCEye Go” which is used by “Eye Mobile” could be used on any computer or laptop. This device has all the softwares attached to him depending on the needs – programs that asses the users abilities, communication softwares which convert texts and pictures into clear voice, special programs for teachers and coaches, learning tools for people with cognitive disabilities and more.
Such a device allows a child with cerebral palsy to use the eye-controlled communication and thus draw and play an instrument, write and read, communicate with others, browse the Internet and play etc. The possibilities are virtually endless, as the technology could be adapted in order to fit the user’s needs, as well as having the “multi user” option designed for more users’ needs (it could be used in special centres, schools and kindergartens).
More about this on: www.tobii.com
A report on the Tobii Technology launch in Bucharest last month: http://observator.tv/social/o-noua-sansa-comunicare-prin-privire-150401.html