Company Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), invented a new technology, which was patented in the USA today, designed to allow users to control an iPhone, an iPad tablet or a Mac using only their eyes. The application for the registration of the technology was submitted in 2012 by those from Apple and describe a system that tracks eye movements to control the interface of one of its products.
Technology Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), it is specifically designed to allow close tracking of eye movements to keep the cursor at the point where we are looking, David P. Julian being credited for the invention. In order for this technology to work, Apple needs one or more cameras to track the movements of our eyes during use to control the iOS or OS X interface.
In certain configurations, the eye tracking system may persistently render the movable indicator wherever the user looks in the GUI. This rendering of the movable indicator may be accurate to the degree that the movable indicator becomes a stabilized retinal image with respect to the user's eyes. As such, the movable indicator may fade with respect to the user's perception of the GUI. In other words, the movable indicator may no longer be visible to the user.
Without giving details about the usefulness of this technology, the Apple company mentions that it could be used in cars, game consoles or various home entertainment systems, such as a Apple TV connected to a TV. In order for its system to be as accurate as possible, the company Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), it monitors the eye movements and blinks of the users to estimate the moment when the user would lose contact with the cursor on the screen and make it visible again for him.
The whole technology is extremely interesting and Apple already has a system in iOS that allows performing a limited number of functions using head movements, so switching to eye tracking wouldn't be a huge leap. Of course, no one knows when or if we will see this technology in iOS, but the existence of a patent for it is definitely a good sign.
