Development of Pointing Device using EOG and EMG with Eyes and Mouth Movements

Abstract

Human-computer interfaces have been researched and developed as a communication tool for people with severe physical disabilities. In particular, as an alternative to the conventional mouse and keyboard, input devices that estimate intentions from biomedical signals are investigated. In this study, we paid attention to facial surface electromyogram (EMG) and electrooculogram (EOG), and attempted to develop a pointing device. The direction of the pointer is estimated from the EMG signals associated with the mouth movement, and the decision operation is performed from the vertical EOG signal when the user blinks voluntarily. We proposed an electrode arrangement to measure EMGs and vertical EOG simultaneously with a wireless biomedical measurement device. We experimented to evaluate the accuracy of the pointer operation with our electrode arrangement. As a result, the subjects could control the pointer in eight directions appropriately. In addition, we investigated the threshold of the EOG to detect the blink correctly.