If you are a PC gamer then perhaps you already know about the gaze tracker or eye tracker devices. These devices are really helpful in action games. Traditionally, we had to use action keys for firing weapons and movement keys for running around at the same time. But now with an eye tracker device like Tobii Eye Tracker, you do not have to worry about the movement part. The game will notice where you are looking at take you there automatically by tracking your eye movements.
While Tobiii Eye Tracker is really fun to use when playing games, it has found another good use for people with physical disabilities. With the help of OptiKey software and Tobii Eye Tracker, we can setup any Windows PC to be controlled only by the eye movement.
OptiKey is an open-source software that can be used on any Windows PC running Windows 8.1 and above. It shows an on-screen keyboard that can be controlled using regular means (like a touchpad or mouse) but also with the help of eye tracker devices like Tobii Eye Tracker.
OptiKey and Tobii Eye Tracker work together to offer full keyboard support for anyone who has difficulty using a physical keyboard. OptiKey can work in two ways – without a switch or with a switch. The switch is included with the eye tracker device. When you want to type something, you have to rest your eyes on that letter in the on-screen OptiKey keyboard – it will type that key and also show you automatic word completion suggestions. Another way is to look at a letter than use the physical switch to type that letter.
OptiKey can also work with a webcam but for better accuracy you should use a eye tracker device like Tobii Eye Tracker and a large computer screen. On smaller screens such as a 13 inches laptop, it may not be very accurate.
You can download OptiKey from https://github.com/OptiKey/OptiKey.