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One of the focuses of our blog is eye tracking technology that assists those living with disabilities. After all, eye tracking is helping so many people live more fulfilling lives. But eye tracking technologies aren’t the only innovations working to improve lives.

Depending on a patient’s specific condition, certain assistive technologies – or even a combination of two or more of them – can help people to communicate with loved ones, to access information online, and to move around during their daily routines.

Here are four assistive technologies you should know, which are improving people’s lives every day:

Single-switch access

If someone has very limited mobility, a single-switch access device might be a good option. Even if the user can move only his or her head, for example, the switch can be placed to the side of the head so the user can click it with head movements. Special software on a computer interprets this head clicking, allowing the user to navigate the web. This type of system can be enhanced with auto-complete features for further ease of control.

Sip and puff switch

This assistive device works similarly to the single-switch technology. Using this device, a person can control their breathing actions to communicate on/off signals to software on a computer or mechanisms on a wheelchair. Combining this hardware with a variety of software applications can help create a custom system for the user’s particular needs.

Voice recognition software

If a patient is able to speak clearly, another option for computer use is to install software that allows him or her to control the computer by speaking. However, some people with motor disabilities (such as cerebral palsy) may have difficulties speaking so that the software recognizes them. If that is not the case, voice recognition software can help people with disabilities surf the Internet, use email and other online tasks.

Eye tracking technology

Eye tracking devices help individuals with no control, or only limited control, over their hand movements. Eye trackers follow the movement of the eyes to allow a person to navigate the web and to type on custom screens. People living with a number of disabilities and degenerative diseases are benefiting from eye tracking technology, including patients with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), multiple sclerosis, brain injuries, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries and more. Eye tracking devices allow users to harness the power of their eyes to communicate with the world.