David,
On Sun, 9 Apr 2006 12:01:36 -0400, David Kahn wrote
> 1 The high costs are a reflection of the small market size. If
> there was a mass application for this technology, the price would be
> in the consumer price range using current designs. Of the people who
> could in principle use the technology, only a subset have the
> motivation and drive to press for it, only a subset of these have
> the funds to pay for it, and only a subset of these have the
> necessary support personnel to set things up and teach its use. The
> resulting market is small.
Good point. Hopefully the IPRIZE will help generate research that leads to
new applications that makes eye tracking more useful to a larger audience.
Then we might be able to take advantage of the economies of scale.
> 2 While there are undoubtedly several application areas in
> addition to helping people with disabilities, some of which will be
> commercially remunerative, the eye is always at a disadvantage with
> the fingers if fingers are available. The fingers interface has two
> groups of five independently positioned digits independently
> supported by positioning agents (arms). Finger action is strong and
> dynamic enabling many inputs actions per second. In contrast, the
> eye is a single bit interface where direction is controlled and
> selection must be confirmed by a time-consuming dwell period.
> Moreover, its natural function as a prime input device to the person
> must also be sustained.
Yes, another good point. We should certainly use gaze-based communication to
augment any existing communication channels, including manual input as well as
speech. Eye movements can also be used in human computer interfaces as a
passive measure of the attentional state and the cognitive thought processes
of the user. Consider the ongoing work to measure the attentiveness of drivers
using eye movements or the analysis of website usability. Taking advantage of
this type of indirect input promises to be extremely valuable.
> I have no doubt that this initiative will stimulate further
> advances. However, I would suggest that if only a small fraction of
> the funds spent on research were directed to the benefit of those
> with disabilities who need the existing technology, the world would
> be a better place.
On this point, I'm not sure that I agree. Relatively little funding is spent
on eye-tracking research. Given the price of existing technologies, diverting
this R&D funding would improve the quality of life of relatively few
individuals. I admit that it is a bit of a "chicken and the egg" problem. I
have proposed that we break away from this problem with the IPRIZE Grand
Challenge.
The IPRIZE is all about creating the radical innovations in eye tracking
technology so that users will have such a low-cost solution that they don't
have to think about "the funds to pay for it", and so that they won't need
"support personnel to set things up" or need someone to "teach its use."
Of course, creating an intuitive, easy to use, maintenance free, accurate,
low-cost eye-tracking system is going to be an amazing technical challenge.
However, eye-tracking reseach has already begun to push on each of these
points. Consider a few examples. In my own research, the openEyes project, I
have focused on low-cost eye tracking. I understand that IBM has developed a
calibration-free eye tracker. New gaze-based interaction techniques such as
Dasher and eyeDraw, have been developed to improve human computer interaction.
I believe that the field of eye tracking is ripe to take advantage of the
kinds of advancements that the XPRIZE and the DARPA Grand Challenge catalyzed
in the fields of space flight and autonomous robotics. These previous grand
challenges have demonstrated that radical technological and economic
innovations require both competition and collaboration. The competition for a
large prize motivates people both personally and financially. The difficulty
of the challenge spurs collaboration between academia and industry.
I really appreciate your feedback and want to thank you for taking the time
to response to my proposal. It is going to take the thoughtful input of
committed individuals such as yourself to shape the IPRIZE. If there is
anything that I have learned from being part of the eye-tracking community, it
is that this community is extremely committed. Although we are a small
community, I truly believe the famous quote from Margaret Mead
"Never doubt a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the
world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has."
Derrick
Derrick Parkhurst, PhD
Assistant Professor,
The Department of Psychology and
The Human Computer Interaction Program
Associate Director,
The Virtual Reality Application Center
Iowa State University
1620d Howe Hall
Ames, Iowa, 50011
[log in to unmask]
http://hcvl.hci.iastate.edu/
---
Support the IPRIZE
A Grand Challenge for Human Computer Interaction
http://hcvl.hci.iastate.edu/IPRIZE/
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "derrick" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 1:52 PM
> Subject: [EM_LIST] The IPRIZE - A Grand Challenge for Human Computer
> Interaction
>
> > Eye tracking is a viable next-generation human computer interface. For
> > individuals with significant motor disabilities, eye-tracking interfaces
> > represent one of the few or only ways to communicate effectively.
> > Unfortunately, current eye-tracking systems are expensive ($10,000 or
> > more),
> > invasive, inflexible, cumbersome and frustrating to use. Moreover,
> > improvements in commercial eye tracking technology over the last 30 years
> > have
> > been only incremental.
> >
> > A revolution in eye tracking will be required in order to make eye
> > tracking
> > the next ubiquitous human computer interface. Factors of 10 improvement
> > are
> > needed in the price, intrusiveness, robustness, speed, and accuracy of
> > eye-
> > tracking systems. A high-quality low-cost eye-tracking solution is needed.
> >
> > At the 2006 ACM Eye Tracking Research and Applications (ETRA) symposium
> > last
> > week, I announced the IPRIZE, a $1,000,000 Grand Challenge designed to
> > spark
> > advances in eye-tracking technology through competition. Repeatedly,
> > throughout history, such Grand Challenges have lead to radical innovations
> > that overcome significant technical and economic barriers. The IPRIZE
> > competition will focus the efforts of scientific, engineering and
> > entrepreneurial communities on high-quality low-cost eye-tracking.
> >
> > We are looking to raise a total of $1,000,000 for the IPRIZE Grand
> > Challenge,
> > and are already off to a good start with the generous commitment of
> > $100,000
> > by Hawk Laboratories. Because a low-cost solution for gaze-based
> > communication
> > has the potential to significantly enhance quality of life for millions of
> > disabled individuals, we will be looking towards charitable organizations
> > and
> > private donors to fund what remains.
> >
> > At this point, we are looking for support from this community that eye
> > tracking represents an important problem and that the IPRIZE competition
> > is a
> > valuable way to solve it. Please take just a second and visit the IPRIZE
> > website to learn more:
> > http://hcvl.hci.iastate.edu/IPRIZE
> > and to express your support for the competition:
> > http://hcvl.hci.iastate.edu/IPRIZE/index.cgi?support
> >
> > An advisory committee is now being formed and I am looking for committed
> > individuals willing to participate in fund raising and willing to help
> > formulate the competition rules. The current advisory committee consists
> > of a
> > broad range of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs:
> > http://hcvl.hci.iastate.edu/IPRIZE/index.cgi?advisory
> > Funds have been obtained to hold a workshop in the Fall of 2006 for
> > committee
> > members to meet and organize the competition.
> >
> > Please forward this notice onto anyone who might be interested in
> > participating in the IPRIZE competition.
> >
> > Thank you very much for your support,
> > Derrick Parkhurst
> > ---
> > Derrick Parkhurst, PhD
> > Assistant Professor,
> > The Department of Psychology and
> > The Human Computer Interaction Program
> > Associate Director,
> > The Virtual Reality Application Center
> > Iowa State University
> > 1620d Howe Hall
> > Ames, Iowa, 50011
> > [log in to unmask]
> > http://hcvl.hci.iastate.edu/
> > ---
> > Support the IPRIZE
> > A Grand Challenge for Human Computer Interaction
> > http://hcvl.hci.iastate.edu/IPRIZE/
> >
> > --
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> >
> >
>
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