Eye-controlled Gaze TV unveiled by Haier and Tobii

The prototype uses a sensor placed on a table in front of the user to track their eye movements

An eye-controlled television has been unveiled at Berlin's IFA trade show.

Haier's Gaze TV uses technology developed by Tobii, a Swedish firm which already offers eye-tracking technology for computers.

Users control the set by staring at the top or bottom of the screen to activate a user-interface.

The user can then change the volume, switch channel or carry out other functions by looking at icons shown on the display.

The technology is still at prototype stage and prone to glitches, but it has the potential to offer an alternative to the traditional remote control.

Existing smart TV's also offer hand gesture and voice controls as alternatives, but again the functions can be hit-and-miss in real-world use.
Table-top sensor
The key part of Tobii's technology is not built into the television set itself at this stage. Instead an attached sensor sits in-between the viewer and screen monitoring the person's eye movements.

By tracking the shift in gaze and blinks given it allows the user to point, zoom, scroll, select and navigate menus and features.

Users look at the different icons on the television interface to control it

The device has to be calibrated to each user before use and becomes less accurate if they are wearing glasses.

But its developers say they think it has the potential to offer a more natural way to control TVs and other devices, and are hoping to partner with more manufacturers.

"The free Tobii Gaze Interaction software development kit is available to companies interested in exploring the possibilities of gaze interaction and using this revolutionary technology to develop gaze applications that will take part in the future of computing and consumer electronics," said Tobii's chief executive Henrik Eskilsson.
Eye-controlled cars
Tobii originally developed its products to help disabled people control computers.

Its sensors and software currently cost thousands of pounds to purchase, which have prevented their widespread adoption.

But over recent months the firm has been showing off concept designs for gaze-controlled car information systems, surgery room image display screens, and video games.

PC-maker Lenovo has also created a concept laptop with the technology built-in which scrolls through text documents, keeping pace with the user as they look through a document.

Tobii is developing eye-controlled tech for cars which would display information on the windscreen

Tobii says it hopes to have its first consumer-focused product on the market by 2013.

For its part, Haier is developing a reputation for showing off futuristic concept designs.

The Chinese company unveiled a "completely wireless" TV at Las Vegas' Consumer Electronics Show in January.

It used a separate power transmitting coil to send it energy using magnetic resonance technology, and the high-speed WHDI (wireless home digital interface) format to beam it video and sound.

Read more...

Try these five helpful tips to help reduce or even prevent the discomfort caused by staring at your monitor all day.

If you spend hours a day in front of a computer screen (like me), and have experienced anything along the lines of: eyes burning, neck aching, vision blurring, or head throbbing, you might have a common problem known as eyestrain.
In medical terms it's called Computer Vision Syndrome, and it comes from a combination of your monitor's bright backlight, glare and staring at a screen for extended periods of time.
Quick fixes like ibuprofen and eye exercises will usually relieve eyestrain, but in my quest to resolve this issue, I went for a preventative approach.
After consulting trusty sources like the Mayo Clinic, I found that the following five tips were the most effective in preventing my Computer Vision Syndrome.

1. Adjust your monitor's position

A simple tweak to your monitor setup can go a long way in solving your eyestrain. For optimal comfort, your monitor should be 20-30 inches away from your eyes. Additionally, the top of your monitor should be at eye level, as you should be looking down at your work, not up. If you need to raise your monitor, consider using risers, or even a stack of old hardcover books.

2. Tweak the lighting

An office setting with too much artificial or natural light can create monitor glare that quickly tires your eyes. So, if you can, turn off any harsh fluorescent lights and position your computer so that any natural light is coming in on either side of your monitor. Light should never be directed behind or in front of your screen. Instead, use floor or desk lamps and position them on either side of your monitor so that they provide indirect lighting.

3. Use the 20-20-20 rule

Every 20 minutes, find an object about 20 feet away, and stare at it for 20 seconds. This trick from labnol.org is intended to exercise your eyes and give them a break from your monitor's bright backlight. If you need to, automate reminders for these breaks with programs like BreakTaker for Windows, or Time Out for Mac.

4.Try Gunnars glasses

Artificial light combined with natural light and your monitor's backlight puts unavoidable stress on your eyes. One solution to consider is Gunnar glasses. These specialized glasses, mostly aimed at gamers, are tinted yellow to offset the cool blue light your monitor produces. They also offer slight magnification, making it easier to read text (even for those who don't normally wear reading glasses.)
They'll set you back about $80, but from my experience, they make a big difference. The glasses come in several styles and custom prescription models.

5. Use a setup that's easy on the eyes

When your work materials and tools are splayed out in different areas of your desk, you force your eyes to constantly readjust for their various distances. Fix this by putting your keyboard directly in front of your monitor, and your reading materials adjacent to it using a copyholder.

Read more...

(Credit: LG/Philips)

Manufacturers LG and Philips have joined forces to create a universal platform for apps on your TV, and the companies say the system has the support of Japanese manufacturers.

The newly-created Smart TV Alliance is designed to create a single platform making it easier for customers to share apps across multiple TVs and encourage more developers.

"Before today, the Smart TV industry was a very difficult market for both TV manufacturers and application developers as TV's from different brands used different platforms and technologies," said Bong-seok Kwon of LG Electronics, president of Smart TV Alliance.

The system will be a competitor to the embattled Google TV interface which is the only other cross-brand ecosystem.

The Smart TV alliance will make the tools available for free on its website for use by all manufacturers and hopes that it will help simplify the process of creating new apps across multiple brands.

Given that the tools will only be available at the end of 2012 it's unlikely there will be any TVs sporting the new interface, from brands other than Philips or LG, until 2013 and beyond.

Read more...