PROPOSAL EYEWRITER

CENTRE OF DIPLOMA STUDIES
SEMESTRAL PROJECT PROPOSAL

2018/19 [ SEMESTER 5 ]
TITLE:

SUPERVISOR

PREPARED BY

PROGRAMME:
MICROELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

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(Student’sSignature) (Supervisor’sSignature)
Name :…………………………….… OfficialStamp:
Date :……………………………....
Date :……………………………....

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 PROBLEM STATEMENTS & OBJECTIVES
3.0 SCOPE OF STUDY
4.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
5.0 MATERIALS, EQUIPMENTS AND COST
6.0 METHODOLOGY
7.0 EXPECTED RESULT
8.0 REFERENCE
9.0 SUMMARY
10.0 APPENDICES

1.0 INTRODUCTION

“Art is a tool of empowerment and social change, and I consider myself blessed to be

able to create and use my work to promote health reform, bring awareness about ALS

and help others.” -Tony Quan

This project is inspired by an entrepreneur, Mick Ebeling who teamed up with a group
of artists and hackers to create this invention in order to help his friend, Tony Quan.
Tony Quan is an artist based in Los Angeles, California, who was diagnosed with
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). It is a degenerative neuromuscular disorder
that causes paralysis. While there are existing products that help ALS patients to
communicate, yet most of them are heavy and extremely expensive. In contrast, the
Eyewriter is a pair of low-cost, portable eye-tracking glasses with custom software
which allow paralyzed artists and graffiti creators to do arts using their eyes. The
system is completely open source and inexpensive. In this project, we use a camera
and LED system mounted away from the head which for the convenience of people
whose heads are moving slightly such as MS patients or those wearing glasses. It is
also can be used by those people who are handicap. By utilizing great advancements
in eye-tracking, computer vision and generative visuals, humans are able to bring art
to the next level which can turn out to be an art revolution.

This project is an attempt to address a gap in the development of low-end eye-tracking
systems that could be made by almost anyone at almost anywhere. The long-term goal
is to create a professional/social network of software developers, hardware hackers,
urban projection artists and ALS patients from around the world who are using local
materials and open source research to creatively connect and make eye art.

2.0 PROBLEM STATEMENTS & OBJECTIVES

The problem statement of this project are:
•ALS patients and handicapped people lose their ability to function physically,
hence stopping them from writing and doing artworks.
•Most ALS patients experience difficulty in speaking as illness progresses.

The objective of this project are:
• To allow people with limited mobility to draw or write using their eyes.
• To allow ALS patients to communicate by writing or typing with their eyes.
• To DIY the most simple and inexpensive eye-tracking head-set.

3.0 SCOPE OF STUDY

This project will be focusing on using IR sensitive camera as well as eye-tracking
software to detect and track the position of the pupil, and uses a calibration sequence
to map the tracked pupil coordinates to position on a computer screen. User will be
able to write, type or draw on screen using only eyes. Hence, source code
programming is required to perform specific task.

Included: Modified PS3 camera with visible light filter, PS3 eye drivers, eye-tracking
software, EyeWriter software and C++ source code.

Excluded: Remote drawing and projection, co-located and projected drawing.

4.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

This project includes knowledge in system electric, software and digital camera.

System electric: In order to provide some IR illumination, we need to build a simple
circuit using alligator clips, IR LEDs and a 2x AAA battery holder. Proper wire
connection is required to prevent short circuit.

Software: We use open-source software that comes with a source code of C++
language in this system. Hence, we need to know the method to download the
software as well as the source code.

Digital camera: The PS3 eye camera is modified in order to filter visible light and
detect infrared. The original filter in the PS3 eye camera is replaced by the IR filter
cut from the floppy disk.

5.0 MATERIALS, EQUIPMENTS AND COST

No. Items Unit Prices (RM)
1. PS3 eye camera 1 36.31
2. 8mm fixed iris camera lens (cctv) 1 15.60
3. M12 camera lens mount - 0.5x15.5 1 8.50
4. Cheap glasses 1 2.20
5. 9-gauge aluminium wire (30cm) 1 1.00
6. Alligator clips (double-ended) 2 7.10
7. Wire ties 1pack 1.29
8. IR LEDs emitter 2 1.00
9. Used floppy disk 1 -
10. Battery holder (AAA) 1 3.00
11. AAA battery 2 2.00
79.00
TOTAL

Tools:
1. Small screw driver set
2. Scissors

6.0 METHODOLOGY

VOLTAGE SUPPLY

IR ILLUMINATION

DETECTION OF
IR SENSITIVE

CAMERA

IF NO PUPIL DETECTED

IF PUPIL DETECTED
CONNECT TO EYE-TRACKING
SOFTWARE

UPDATE TO EYEWRITER
SOFTWARE

ON-SCREEN DISPLAY

KEEP TRACK OF IRIS
MOVEMENT

In this process, a voltage supply of 3V is used to lite up the IR LEDs transmitter.
The IR light then illuminate the eye and is observed through an IR sensitive camera. If
black pupil spot is detected by the camera, the signal is sent to the eye-tracking
software which allows the software to keep tracking the eye. The movement of the
pupil is updated to the eyewriter software for display. The overall process is repeated
until the pupil is removed. However, if there is no black pupil spot detected, the IR
sensitive camera will keep sensing near-field IR light.

IR transmitter emits infrared.
The IR sensitive camera with visible lights filter captures standard video with frame
rates of 60 hertz at a 640×480 pixel resolution.

7.0 EXPECTED RESULT

The expected result of this project is that the screen is able to display words or
drawing according to the eye movements. When the IR light illuminate the eye, the
iris of the eye turns completely white and the pupil stands out as high-contrast black
dot. The black dot reflected most of the infrared light and is then detected by IR
sensitive camera. The camera receives photons of the reflected IR light and converts it
into electrons which turns out to be an electrical signal. The camera is connected to
the monitor or laptop, hence allows the data to be transmitted to the Eyewriter
software. The Eyewriter software is two parts — an eye-tracking software designed
for use of low-cost glasses, and a drawing software designed for drawing with eye
movements. For instance, if the eye looks to the right, the screen should display a line
drawn from left to right or moving the cursor to the right depends on the functioning
mode.

8.0 REFERENCE

https://www.instructables.com/id/The-EyeWriter/

http://fffff.at/eyewriter/The-EyeWriter.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20160630074213/http://catalystreview.net/2011/11/desig
n-for-life-the-eye-writer/

9.0 SUMMARY

The modified PS3 eye camera will be used in this project to get our desired result
because it comes with no auto-iris function. Once the pupil is detected by the camera,
the system keeps tracking the movement of the eye which allows user to write, type or
draw. With this great piece of technology, the problem faced by ALS patients or
paralyzed people to communicate can be solved. Furthermore, ALS or paralyzed
graffiti artists are able to perform arts with their own creativity. This project also
focuses on budget-friendly, easy to make and is completely open-source which
provide us a huge advantage. All materials can be bought at DIY store, electronic
shops or through online platform. The fabrication and assembly of the system requires

only common hand tools, it does not need much professional skills to make it plus the
source code can be easily found on the internet.

10.0 APPENDICES

PROJECT ACTIVITIES GANTT CHART 2020

YEAR

WEEK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Proposal preparation /
/
Proposal report submission & defend presentation /
/////
Architecture design //
//
Project in progress /
//
Programming /
/
Troubleshoot and repair the failure /

Briefing final report

Final project and final report preparation

Diploma Engineering Program Expo (DEPEX)

Submit draft report and log book

Conduct presentation and submit final report