Google launches an App for speaking through the eye!

There is a group of specialized and targeted speaking devices for the category that are unable to communicate with their family or friends and their caregivers, and some of these devices are operated by eye tracking technology, as it allows users to write or specify phrases that they want to express without the need for touch Or pronunciation, but not everyone can afford such devices, and as a result of the joint cooperation between Google and "Richard Howe" specialized speech and language therapist, the group was able to launch a free Android application called Look to Speak, which is designed to improve the communicative abilities of non-verbal people. Using a device that almost everyone owns, which is a smartphone, and the idea of ​​developing the app began when Richard encountered "Sarah Ezekiel"She is an artist who was diagnosed with motor nerve disease in 2000, and she is one of millions of people around the world who suffer from problems with speech and movement, and this year Sarah met with her speech and language therapist and on the initiative of the Google project to support small ideas, the two teams searched for The possibility of exploring how machine learning via small devices can make eye-to-eye communication technology enforce its existence, and the hope is that Look to Speak will be able to benefit communities with different types of temporary, permanent or situational disabilities.

As is the case with other communication programs via eye tracking technology, Google announced that this application aims to facilitate communication for people who suffer disabilities in speech and movement, especially those who do not speak and need assistance in communication, as the application allows users to choose previously prepared phrases Through the phone screen with their eyes in order to express themselves, and the application uses machine learning and eye stare technology, and it works well when the front camera of the smartphone has a clear vision of the user's eyes to choose from the list of phrases for the phone to pronounce it aloud, and usually does not require It is only a few eye movements to select the desired sentence, and the Look to Speak feature requires users to choose the phrase they want either by looking directly to the left or right of the smartphone screen while keeping their heads fixed, and the only drawback in the app is that when you want to edit the phrases and adjustEye settings, this option is not accessible by eye view technology and requires manual tapping of the phone screen.

The application includes a list of 16 pre-prepared phrases distributed into two columns, half of which are in the left column and the other half on the right, and each phrase the user wants to pronounce and is mainly listed in the right column, for example, the user will need to look to the right to allow the application to know that the phrase he wants The expression is on the right, not the left, which will allow Look to Speak to ignore the phrases included in the other half, says Richard, who specializes in working with people with speech and movement disabilities, especially people who are not verbal and need help with communication: “It's more than Just a job for me, it is a passion, every day I strive to help people find easier and more accessible ways to express their daily needs, opinions, feelings and identity. "Cave says Look to Speak has already reached people who can benefit from the application and have found it very useful in circumstances where other access devices may not be usable, for example during transportation or in urgent situations, and he added: "Now it is possible. Conversations can take place more easily as there could have been silence before, and I'm excited to hear some of them. "

The application is available for devices running Android 9 and it is not currently supported for the iPhone series of all kinds, and the front camera is required on the phone, and the issue of setting up and running the application in the phone is very easy, the first time you open the application, you will be welcomed through An educational screen that will guide you, and it includes options to find a suitable location to install the correct viewing angle and parameters for eye tracking settings, and some tests will also be performed to identify the idea of ​​working in the application.

Application link