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New computer controlled by eye movements

Nicole Girard Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Nicole Girard
is a CNET News.com intern from Tempe, Ariz. She writes about gadgets and beyond.
Nicole Girard
There was something missing from the new tablet PC that Tobii Technology presented at Siggraph in Boston earlier this week.

The MyTobiiP10 is a mountable, lightweight, Bluetooth-enabled laptop, complete with integrated eye-tracking technology--and no keyboard.

The computer employs a touch screen controlled by the eye movements of its users.

PT10 computer
MyTobii P10 keyboardless computer
from Tobii Technologies

Tobii, a Swedish company that specializes in eye-tracking hardware and software added this little gem to their arsenal in March. It's the latest product to come from Tobii, which produces a line of eye-tracking equipment, some of which is used for purposes of Web research.

The MyTobii has a keyboard, which is represented on the screen. Selections are made using "dwell time," which is the length of time someone looks at an object on the screen, said Tobii Executive Vice President John Elvesjo.

The eye-controlled computer is specially designed for people with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, ALS, multiple sclerosis, and brain and spinal injuries.

Unit cost $17,000 each and are sold through distributors and resellers in the U.S., Sweden, Norway, Germany and England.