Integrated electromyogram and eye-gaze tracking cursor control system for computer users with motor disabilities

This research pursued the conceptualization, implementation, and testing of a system that allows for computer cursor control without requiring hand movement. The target user group for this system are individuals who are unable to use their hands because of spinal dysfunction or other afflictions. The system inputs consisted of electromyogram (EMG) signals from muscles in the face and point-of-gaze coordinates produced by an eye-gaze tracking (EGT) system. Each input was processed by an algorithm that produced its own cursor update information. These algorithm outputs were fused to produce an effective and efficient cursor control. Experiments were conducted to compare the performance of EMG/EGT, EGT-only, and mouse cursor controls. The experiments revealed that, although EMG/EGT control was slower than EGT-only and mouse control, it effectively controlled the cursor without a spatial accuracy limitation and also facilitated a reliable click operation.