EyeNav – Eye Navigation Extension

EyeNav is an innovative extension that empowers individuals with motor disabilities to interact with digital devices hands-free. Using an AI-powered eye-tracking system, EyeNav provides an accessible, cost-effective, and efficient solution for web navigation.

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Overview

EyeNav enables users to control web pages through eye movements and blinking. The extension works with any standard webcam and leverages the IBM Granite Vision Transformer (open-source) for precise eye tracking, eliminating the need for expensive devices.

The Problem

Many people with motor impairments struggle to use digital devices. Existing alternatives have several challenges:

1. Expensive adaptive devices, making them inaccessible to many users.
2. Inefficient voice commands, which can be inaccurate or impractical in certain environments.
3. Lack of compatibility with standard webcams, limiting access to technology.

The Solution

EyeNav addresses these problems by offering intelligent eye-tracking navigation for the web. With eye movements and blinks, users can:

• Move the cursor by looking at different areas of the screen.
• Click with short or long blinks.
• Scroll through web pages by looking up or down.
• Use AI adaptation in real-time, improving accuracy over time.

Key Features

Cursor Control via Eye Movements – Move the cursor just by looking.
Short Blink = Left Click, Long Blink = Right Click.
Eye Scrolling – Scroll pages up and down using eye movements.
AI-Based Adaptation – Learns user eye patterns for better accuracy.
Works with Any Standard Webcam – No need for expensive hardware.
Simple & Intuitive Interface – The extension runs directly in the browser.

Installation

Requirements

• Google Chrome or a compatible browser.
• Functional webcam.
• Permission to access the camera in the browser.

How to Install

1. Download the extension from the Chrome Web Store.
2. Install and enable the extension in your browser.
3. Allow webcam access when prompted.
4. Start browsing using just your eyes!

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Benefits & Applications

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Future Improvements

Compatibility with more browsers beyond Chrome.
Enhanced AI for improved eye-tracking accuracy.
Additional facial gesture detection for more versatile commands.
Support for glasses and contact lenses to increase accessibility.
Integration with virtual assistants, such as Alexa and Google Assistant. Create a commercial API that allows companies to integrate eye tracking into their systems, helping to include employees with disabilities in the workplace.

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Technologies Used in EyeNav

Below is an overview of the technologies and frameworks that power EyeNav. The system is structured into different components, each responsible for a specific functionality.

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System Architecture

Development

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/believemanasseh/EyeNav.git
cd EyeNav

Chrome Extension

• Download the source code from the repository.
• Go to chrome://extensions/ in your Chrome browser.
• Enable "Developer mode" in the top right corner.
• Click "Load unpacked" and select the downloaded extension folder.

FastAPI Server

Navigate to server directory:

cd server

Install dependencies:

poetry install

Start development server:

fastapi dev src/app.py

EyeNav represents a major step forward in digital accessibility, providing more independence and inclusion for everyone!