40 Years of Eye Typing: Challenges, Gaps, and Emergent Strategies

Abstract

Gaze interaction enables users to communicate through eye tracking, and is often the only channel of effective and efficient communication for individuals with severe motor disabilities. While there has been significant research and development of eye typing systems, in the context of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), there is no comprehensive review that integrates the key findings from the variety of aspects that constitute the complex landscape of gaze communication. This paper presents a detailed review and characterization of the literature and aims to consolidate the disparate efforts to provide eye typing solutions for AAC users. We provide a systematic understanding of the components and functionalities that underpin eye typing solutions, and analyze the interplay of the different facets and their role in shaping the user-experience, accessibility, performance, and overall effectiveness of eye typing technology. We also identify the major challenges and highlight several areas that require further research attention.