Human-computer interface using high-speed and accurate tracking of user interactions

Inventors

ALCAIDE, Ramses • Padden, Dereck • JANTZ, Jay • HAMET, James • MORRIS, Jr., Jeffrey • Pereira, Arnaldo

Assignees

Neurable Inc

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to systems, devices, and methods for use in the implementation of a human-computer interface using high-speed, and efficient tracking of user interactions with a User Interface/User Experience that is strategically presented to the user. Embodiments described herein also relate to the implementation of a hardware agnostic human-computer interface that uses neural, oculomotor, and/or electromyography signals to mediate user manipulation of machines and devices.

Core Innovation

A problem is solved in which eye-tracker reliability and calibration affect determining a user’s point of focus and intended action. The approach generates an interactive user environment that can be manipulated by a user to perform a set of actions and defines a set of stimuli presented via a display. A grid of objects is generated in three dimensional space where the predetermined density corresponds to an indication of granularity of a measure of reliability of the eye-tracker, and a density control allows modification of that predetermined density.

The system presents the grid of objects in three-dimensional space and a graphical indicator at a first location configured to direct a point of focus of the user to the first location. It receives eye-movement signals from an eye-tracker and determines an expected point of focus based on the presentation of the graphical indicator, and an actual point of focus based on the eye-movement signals. A measure of reliability is computed based on comparison of expected and actual point of focus, and the eye-movement signals are automatically calibrated based on the measure of reliability to generate calibrated eye-movement signals used to determine the point of focus.

Intended user action is determined based on the point of focus and then implemented via the interactive user environment. In additional configurations, a scaling-bias calibration stimulus configured to prompt a visual search is presented, and calibration eye-movement signals are received. Scaling and bias are computed from first maximum and first minimum gaze position along a first axis and second maximum and second minimum gaze position along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and eye-movement signals are automatically calibrated based on the measure of scaling and the measure of bias to generate calibrated eye-movement signals. Further configurations combine calibrated eye-movement signals with neural signals including EEG signals and/or EMG signals, and may determine an action intended by the user based on at least one of those neural signals or the calibrated eye-movement signals.

Claims Coverage

The partial content includes five independent claims. Across these, the main inventive features include interactive stimulus presentation, eye-tracker reliability or accuracy based automatic calibration, scaling-bias and grid-based calibration schemes, and action or point-of-focus determination using calibrated eye-movement signals and optionally neural signals (EEG and/or EMG).

Across the independent claims in the provided partial content, the core claim coverage centers on automatic eye-movement calibration driven by reliability or accuracy measures, including grid-based reliability, scaling-bias measures, and smooth-pursuit or expected trajectory accuracy. The calibrated eye-movement signals are then used to determine point of focus and intended action, with additional configurations combining calibrated eye-movement signals and neural recording device signals including EEG and/or EMG to determine an action intended by the user.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found