Electrooculography based electronic communication device for individuals with ALS

摘要

Unfortunately, nearly one million individuals in the United States are affected with paralysis, loss of motor skills, motor neuron disease such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). As a result, there are many people who are unable to operate a computer or other electronic devices. This paper presents a low-cost electrooculography (EOG) based electronic communication system that allows a user, specifically a persons diagnosed with ALS, to perform basic computer tasks by recording eye movement. Subjects who participated in the prototype testing were healthy, and instructed to keep head movements to a minimum so that there would be no influence on how the mouse functions. Each subject was instructed to complete a set of tasks for a total of two trials. The prototype test results showed that healthy subjects could complete most tasks within a given timeframe. Results also showed improved performance in subjects as they become more comfortable with the device.