A Hands-free Human-Computer-Interface Platform for Paralyzed Patients Using a TENG-based Eyelash Motion Sensor

摘要

People with body disabilities as a result of neurological diseases or physical accidents, face daily troubles in some situations that require arm or finger motions. Access to expensive assistive technologies can be difficult, and job opportunities can be low for patients with limited mobility. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) bring a new concept enabling the design of special sensors that can be used in Human-Computer-Interfaces (HCIs) to support people with disabilities. In this manuscript, it is proposed a novel eye motion sensor based on TENG integrated into an HCI leading to hands-free typing on the computer. We demonstrate that by controlling the cursor, the user can pick up the characters from a virtual keyboard and write an algorithm in the Integrated-Development-Environment (IDE) of Python language. The novel eye sensor recognizes the eyelash motion detected from the triboelectric interaction between human hair and silicone. It is shown that a user is able to write a simple python program to display a message on the computer without the use of hands. Finally, we hope this development can support disabled patients to improve their programming skills and provide improved job opportunities in areas such as information technology or computer science.