📋 Tender Overview
EyeCon is a new invention that will allow people with mobility and communication problems to communicate using their eyes. This invention was presented during a conference held at Esplora which was attended by the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth Research and Innovation Keith Azzopardi Tanti. The EyeCon project was researched and carried out in collaboration between engineers from the University of Malta and a local software company 1888 Limited with funds provided by the Malta Council for Science and Technology MCST under the Fusion Technology Development Programme. The team that worked on this project managed to create a system that is able to communicate by simply recording the strength and direction of the eyes unlike other eye-gaze trackers that are currently on the market and that make use of cameras or infrared light which if used for a long time is capable of straining the eyes and the user of the device. Parliamentary Secretary Keith Azzopardi Tanti welcomed this project and stated that such research being carried out in Malta can also have a great impact on other countries as well. The government is continuing to invest in the research sector in order to create projects like EyeCon that are capable of improving peoples quality of life. Through this project we are facilitating the lives of people who do not have the possibility to communicate and use technological means using their hands. While commending the work done by the engineers within the University of Malta and the collaboration with the private industry that was involved in this project the parliamentary secretary thanked MCST for the fundamental role it plays in the local research industry with the grants given and the professional assistance provided for projects that can be useful for many people. Chairman of the MCST Dr Tonio Portughese said that the council strongly believes in the importance of investing in research and innovation to make progress in various local sectors. He stressed the importance of collaboration between the academic sector and the local industry to improve the services offered and achieve the desired results. Dr Tracey Camilleri who was the coordinator of the EyeCon project said We are pleased with the results we have achieved. The extensive research we have done has led us to create a different and more economical model than other eye-gaze trackers on the market. We have managed to develop intelligent algorithms capable of processing the electrical signals that the eyes generate when they move. In this way we are facilitating the lives of people with disabilities and giving them a means of communication.
