I took a look at this web site, and it's a pretty impressive idea and implementation. But the price! ($17,500.00) I wonder if these people couldn't replace their camera (used to track eye movements) with an infrared system similar to that used by Canon cameras with the eye-controlled focusing feature? For a little more information, you can look at Canon USA's web site: http://www.usa.canon.com/camcorders/es5000.html Considering the price of Canon's video cameras, it might make a system like Eyegaze's a lot cheaper, and that would allow more folks to buy the system. I don't know who to mention this to, and I don't have the resources or knowhow to look into it myself, but I'm pitching the idea here in hopes that someone may be able to get this idea to someone who can make an affordable product out of it. While $17,500 may not be a lot to pay for some independence, I imaging that many sufferers of chronic debilitating diseases won't have funds like this available, nor do I expect insurance companies to cover it without a good fight. -- Gary Zimmerman (mom is CG for dad, 72/2) [log in to unmask] ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: PD \ Eye Position Sensor (adaptive technology) Author: William Levinson <[log in to unmask]> at INTERNET Date: 1/7/97 9:35 PM This caught my interest because my father (PD, ~3 yrs.) has been in the hospital for three weeks. He cannot speak coherently to indicate his needs, although he can make himself understood with considerable effort/ guesswork by a nurse's aide or myself. I have been unable to get him to point to a list of foods, personal needs, etc. I had heard of technology that allows a user to control a computer by looking at what he/she wants. A search on Alta Vista revealed that it actually exists, although it's very expensive. It allows a patient to control up to ten lights or appliances, and a speech synthesizer can generate up to 126 phrases. If the user can control his/her eye position, he or she can use it. The Web address is http://www.lctinc.com/docs/ecs.htm (LC Technologies, Inc. 800-EYEGAZE) On another issue, Dad appears very frustrated. My suspicion is that there is a disconnection between his thought processes and speech: that is, he knows what he wants to say and BELIEVES he has said it, and he can't understand why people don't respond. (I bought a digital memo player, recorded what he said, and played it back to try to help him realize that he is NOT saying what he thinks he has said.) Has anyone else had this type of experience? -Bill