Introduction
“The purpose of the EagleEyes Project is to help people with severe physical disabilities develop and be educated to their fullest by enabling them to access the computer.”
In doing so, the EagleEyes technology uses a set of five electrodes placed around the eyes to communicate eye movement through a computer, interpreting it as movement of a computer mouse.
This technology allows people unable to move their head or arms to manipulate a computer mouse through eye movement. Several educational software programs have also been developed in conjuction with this technology.
Project Design
The project design of this project is explained by Marzee Dyer. Read her story below.
My name is Marzee Dyer and I’m a multimedia student at Washington State University-Vancouver. I was recently tasked with a digital media narrative assignment which shared a story in a non-linear format. I chose to do my narrative assignment on the Boston College EagleEyes Project.
I first learned about EagleEyes when watching a televised conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In between conference sessions they aired byutv’sTurning Point show which can be found on the Testimonials page of this website.Turning Pointshared the story of Prof. Gips’ journey in developing EagleEyes and the affect it has on handicapped children and their families.
As a mother, I was moved to tears by the message that featured the struggle of a child, trapped within their own body, unable to communicate with the world around them – most especially with their loved ones. My heart cried for the children and for the mothers who wanted so desperately to interact with and free their children.
When researching more on EagleEyes I found their Boston College website but felt it was lacking in this message. My attempt with this assignment is to feature the struggle of these handicapped individuals and the hope that EagleEyes gives to them and their families. I featured this in the slideshow and text on the homepage as well as the testimonials page which features individual stories of triumph.
After completion of the assignment, I emailed Prof. Gips (EagleEyes creator) about my project. He liked it well enough that he purchased this domain for me to share my love of the EagleEyes project and cause with others.
One of the main purposes in sharing this site is to inspire others to act. If you have been moved, please look around your community to see what you can do to help people in need. That, essentially, is what EagleEyes is truly about.
Outcomes
EagleEyes is changing the lives of people with severe handicaps, unlocking their potential by opening communication and learning opportunities they would not otherwise have. EagleEyes is not just an educational resource, rather a doorway for these intelligent minds to interact with the world around them.
EagleEyes allows the severely handicapped to further their education and in many cases is the only tool which allows them to communicate with their loved ones.
