Enhancing an Eye-Tracker based Human-Computer Interface with Multi-modal Accessibility Applied for Text Entry
J. Naga Vishnu Vardhan, Girijesh Prasad · International Journal of Computer Applications · 2015
In natural course, human beings usually make use of multisensory modalities for effective communication or efficiently executing day-to-day tasks.For instance, during verbal conversations we make use of voice, eyes, and various body gestures.Also effective human-computer interaction involves hands, eyes, and voice, if available.Therefore by combining multi-sensory modalities, we can make the whole process more natural and ensure enhanced performance even for the disabled users.Towards this end, we have developed a multimodal human-computer interface (HCI) by combining an eyetracker with a soft-switch which may be considered as typically representing another modality.This multi-modal HCI is applied for text entry using a virtual keyboard appropriately designed in-house, facilitating enhanced performance.Our experimental results demonstrate that using multi-modalities for text entry through the virtual keyboard is more efficient and less strenuous than single modality system and also solves the Midas-touch problem, which is inherent in an eye-tracker based HCI system where only dwell time is used for selecting a character.