Haier's Eye-Control TV set, we go eyeballs on (video) Okay, okay, the transparent TV was neat, but will it actually change the way we watch television?
Not likely -- not any time soon, at least. And while the mind-controlled set we saw last year was certainly cool, it didn't offer much in the way of accuracy. This Eye-Control TV, on the other hand, certainly takes a step in the right direction. To use the set, you sit in front of a black rectangular sensor positioned at chest height. There's some calibration involved when moving from person to person, chasing a circle around the screen with your eyes. You use your eyes for basic TV controls -- changing channels, adjusting the volume, things like that. To change channels, look at the top left-hand corner of the screen and blink. Eye-controlled Gaze TV unveiled by Haier and Tobii. 31 August 2012Last updated at 12:28 ET The prototype uses a sensor placed on a table in front of the user to track their eye movements An eye-controlled television has been unveiled at Berlin's IFA trade show.
Haier's Gaze TV uses technology developed by Tobii, a Swedish firm which already offers eye-tracking technology for computers. Users control the set by staring at the top or bottom of the screen to activate a user-interface. The user can then change the volume, switch channel or carry out other functions by looking at icons shown on the display. The technology is still at prototype stage and prone to glitches, but it has the potential to offer an alternative to the traditional remote control. Existing smart TV's also offer hand gesture and voice controls as alternatives, but again the functions can be hit-and-miss in real-world use.
Table-top sensor The key part of Tobii's technology is not built into the television set itself at this stage. Blink and you'll miss it: Eye-control TV arrives which lets couch potatoes change the channel without lifting a finger. By Eddie Wrenn Published: 10:17 GMT, 31 August 2012 | Updated: 17:05 GMT, 31 August 2012 Couch potatoes just found another excuse not to get off the sofa - a TV which can monitor your eyes and change the channel if you give it the nod.
The Eye Control TV, by Chinese manufacturer Haier, comes with an admittedly bulky device that you place in front of your TV, and with a determined blink of your eyes you can change channels, change the volume, or power your television off. The eye-sensing technology relies on a Kinect-style sensor sat on your table, and Haier says your standard blinks will not interrupt your scheduled viewing. Scroll down for video No more lost remotes: The prototype sensor sits in front of the television, responding to blinks from the couch potato Blinks can bring up a menu bar, with a slide of your head allowing you to adjust the volume. HANDS-ON: Haier Eye-Control TV. From wire-free 3D TVs to web-connected wine cellars, Haier's IFA 2012 stand is one of the show's most diverse offerings.
An obvious highlight is the Chinese manufacturer's Eye Control TV, a television controlled solely through the movement of the eyes and blinking. We tried it out and share our thoughts here. The Eye Control TV user sits in front of a sensor roughly three feet away, which is hooked up to a television via a standard Windows 7 PC. Things kick off with a short calibration process, asking the viewer to follow a series of orange spots on the screen as the sensor adjusts itself to their eyes' movements.
After this point, the viewer is in control. Raised up from a tabletop on a short stand and roughly a foot wide, there's absolutely no need to touch the sensor at all. If you're a long-time Tech Digest reader (and so you should be!) Speaking of the Tobii game last year, we said: There will of course be potential problems to overcome before the Eye Control TV goes mainstream.