Gaze-based technologies for language applications
Command-based gaze actions are used in applications for the disabled, for whom speech or mobility problems can restrict communication. Examples include typing by looking at the letters on a keyboard especially designed to read eye signals, or selecting specific commands in a similar way. Now the technique of using the eyes to carry out commands has been extended to develop natural forms of interaction for multilingual applications. The iEye project has developed software that allows gaze-assisted access to information in multiple languages. The Conexor Lexical Module (CLM) has been developed which provides external language sources such as bilingual dictionaries and encyclopedias. The information in these sources is converted into a standardised format called Custom Dictionary Format (CDF). There is also an interface for maintaining the user database in the same format. Electronic documents in a foreign language are read inside a gaze-assisted environment. When the reader is faced with a word or phrase he does not understand the system detects this based on changes in the eye gaze behavior. The dictionary is automatically accessed to find the translation, which is provided either on the screen or audibly. The system runs on Windows 98 and Windows 2000 operating systems. The prototype is available for testing. The fully developed software tool will be a significant step forward in language technology.
