Researchers at Qingdao University in China have developed an innovative self-powered eye-tracking system that could dramatically improve accessibility for people with severe mobility impairments, such as those with ALS. Traditional eye-tracking devices can help users type or steer wheelchairs using gaze alone, but they tend to be bulky, require external power, and struggle in low-light conditions. The new system uses triboelectric nanogenerators to harvest tiny electrical charges generated by the friction of eyelids blinking to both power the device and serve as a precise sensor.
It achieves around 99% tracking precision, detects subtle eye movements, works even in complete darkness, and is lightweight and comfortable, like wearing regular glasses. Because it doesn’t rely on batteries or heavy hardware, this blink-powered tracker could make gaze-based control more practical and empowering for daily use. Beyond helping paralyzed patients communicate or operate wheelchairs, the technology might find applications in fields like space exploration (where hands-free controls are valuable), driver monitoring in vehicles, and energy-efficient virtual-reality systems.
More information:
https://interestingengineering.com/science/blink-powered-eye-tracker-paralyzed-patients