A vision-based head movement tracking system for human-computer interfacing

In this paper we report a vision-based human-computer interface that enables touch-free communication with a computer by means of head movements and eye-blinks. The developed interface is intended to be used by physically disabled persons. It was shown that image analysis software running on commercial off-the-shelf hardware (a mid-range notebook and a web-camera) allows for successful implementation of typical computer interaction tasks, such as: browsing the Internet, viewing image albums and reading pdf files. Test results of the interface with participation of 6 volunteers are summarized. The paper also includes a short review of other up-to-date solutions to human-computer interaction for the disabled, ranging from brain-computer interface to a tongue control system.