Dr. Anthony Hornof Department of Computer and Information Science
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97403-1202
USA
email: hornof (at ) cs (dot) uoregon (dot) edu
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Abstract
Since the summer of 2003, students, collaborators, and I have been working
together to develop eye-controlled interfaces. We have met with some success,
such as with the development of EyeDraw and EyeMusic. EyeDraw is software that
is specifically designed to enable children with motor impairments to draw pictures
using their eye movements. EyeDraw has been extensively tested and validated,
and is now distributed with a commercial eye tracker.
EyeMusic is a system developed for computer musicians (without motor impairments)
that enables a performer to control a new media art performance with just
his or her eye movements. EyeMusic compositions have been performed at
major computer music conferences.
Working on these projects, my students, collaborators, and I have encountered many challenges, both technical and human-centered, which are probably consistent with the difficult challenges faced by the COGAIN community in general. Some of these challenges include: Understanding and decomposing a human task to the point that it can be dictated by a series of eye movements, developing eye-controlled software within the constraints of existing frameworks for programming graphical user interfaces, connecting software across platforms, working with children and adults with severe motor impairments as software testers and collaborators, getting comfortable and integrated with a unique physical and social environment, providing roles for caregivers and siblings in the software, and building teams that span incredibly disparate disciplines and practices.
My current research efforts have for the moment put eye tracking software development on hold, and instead focus on spending time with children with severe motor impairments and their caregivers. The goal is to figure out how to move the eye tracking software development process out of the isolated lab so that it can better mesh with actual usage and practice. Along the way to designing new gaze-controlled technology, developers can perhaps benefit by learning and using other "lower tech" methods for communicating with a person with impairments. It is my hope and expectation that by facing these challenges head-on that COGAIN and like-minded researchers can better solve the incredibly difficult problem of delivering complex, thoughtful, and easy-to-use communication by gaze interaction.
Dr. Anthony Hornof
Department of Computer and Information Science
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97403-1202
USA
email: hornof (at ) cs (dot) uoregon (dot) edu
Dr. Anthony J. Hornof is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science at the University of Oregon. He joined the faculty in 1999 and was promoted with tenure in 2005. Dr. Hornof earned his Ph.D. in 1999 and his Master's degree in 1996, both from the University of Michigan, and both in Computer Science and Engineering. He received a B.A. in Computer Science from Columbia University in 1988. After college, he remained in New York City for five years (1988-1993) where he worked as an information technology specialist for Deloitte and Touche, and also part-time as a deejay at nightclubs such as Save the Robots and M.K. He also pursued mixed-media painting during these years, and his work was featured in group shows in New York City. In 1993, he redirected his creative and intellectual energies towards a career in academia, where he now integrates his interests in computing, human factors, and creative expression. Dr. Hornof is published in the leading human-computer interaction conferences and journals, and has been awarded over $1.75 million in single-investigator research grants, including multiple awards from the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research.
