Murat Arslan and Senol Korkmaz, engineers at the Innovation and Information Technologies Center, have developed a novel Human Computer Interface (HCI) that can be used by head and eye movements without needing a physical touch. Thus, people with quadriplegia (paralysis below the neck) will be able to use computers and even play games on computer without touching the mouse.

According to the press statement made by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office, the new HCI system, which was designed to facilitate the interaction between the paralyzed user and the computer, would be controlled and used by head and eye movement. Equipped with the latest image processing and the-state-of-the-art learning techniques, this novel HCI system also aims to provide ease for children with physical disabilities to play computer games by head movements. Conducting trials oriented at this goal, Engineers Murat Arslan and Senol Korkmaz achieved success. The trials clearly show that paralyzed people as well as children can use computers and play games by head and eye movements.

Eye Movements Click the Left or Right Button of Computer Mouse
Murat Arslan and Senol Korkmaz, engineers at the Innovation and Information Technologies Center of Near East University, stated that open and closed eye images were pre-introduced to the system, which works in the line with head movements and eye positions. They stated that users could emulate mouse actions including left-click, double left-click and right-click by opening or closing their eyes. The engineers shared further information about the system: "Through a connected camera, the system first maps the human face and identifies 68 specific points in 2D. Then, the projections of these 2D points are evaluated so as to allow the system to perceive the 3D motions of the head. This loaded program enables the system to pick the user's head movements and moves the mouse-curser up, down, left or right in the line with the movements of head. Besides, the system recognizes the user's eye movements and clicks the left or right buttons on the mouse in compliance with the user's eye movements”.

Through Head Movements, Children with Disabilities Will Be Able to Play Computer Games As Well......
Integrating the open source based game named Fish-Life into the system; the engineers developed the game, which can be played only by head movements, for the children with disabilities. In the game, the user's head movements move the fish to eat the food dropping from the ship and to escape from the harmful substances dropping from the ship. The software of the system can be integrated into any game played with computer mouse.

They Aim to Write The Software of Their Own Games.....
Expressing that they are working on writing their own games and integrating these games into the system, the engineers state that they aim to provide online access to the games by loading them on Google Play. They underline that the games will be accessible not only for computers but also for mobile phones.

Works to Service of Humanity Are Being Carried Out......
Delivering further information regarding their other scientific investigations, the engineers underlines that a vast variety of works for the service of humanity are being carried out within the innovative approach of Near East University. "We have been working on many different projects including new safety systems alerting and waking up the sleepy drivers, systems capable to detect the other vehicles on the traffic and prevent the traffic accidents beforehand, algorithms for identifying the appropriate paths, systems to convert signs into writing and pre-warning systems according to the symptoms of the diseases. The results of these scientific studies will be presented in various conferences and published in international journals in the coming days under the name of Near East University.