Eye Control Technologies, Inc.

Naturalpoint, Inc.

Jim Richardson

Birch Zimmer

Michael A Hardwick

Gregory T Kavounas

Eric Wesley Davison

A system and method for controlling operation of a computer based on movements and/or position of a movable object. The system includes a sensing apparatus configured to obtain positional data based on movements of a sensed object. Engine software may process the positional data and generate control commands to produce a virtual position in an application running on the computer. A visual comparator is operatively coupled with the engine software and configured to display an actual indicator and a virtual indicator to provide a visual comparison between the virtual position and the actual position of the sensed object.

Systems and methods for using a movable object to control a computer

A gaze point tracking apparatus is provided having a comparator that receives a video signal corresponding to an eye image or a beacon image. The comparator produces a processed video signal that consists of two signal levels. A video processor detects and measures transitions between the two signal levels. The detected transitions are used to determine the location of a gaze point on a display.

Video processing methods and apparatus for gaze point tracking

An eye controllable screen pointer system is provided that combines eye gaze tracking and screen tracking from the point of view of the user. Screen tracking is performed by a screen tracking camera, attached to a helmet the user is wearing. The screen tracking camera is aided by either light emitted from screen beacon located near the screen, or by a light pattern emitted from the screen itself as a screen beacon signal. The screen tracking means provides a screen tracking signal. Eye gaze tracking is performed as is known in the art, or according to a novel way described herein. An eye gaze tracking means is attached to the helmet, and provides an eye tracking signal. The information carried in the screen tracking signal and in the eye tracking signal are combined in a calculation by a processing means residing in a processor to produce a point of computed gaze on the screen. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the input device of both the eye gaze tracking means and the screen tracking camera are combined into a single video camera, thus resulting in a simplified apparatus. Optionally, the system further projects a mark at the point of computed gaze.

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Philomath, OR, United States of America

Jim Richardson