Smartphones have rapidly advanced over the years, but our interaction with them has stayed mostly the same. Keypads and touchscreens continue to be the primary interfaces for most users due to their undeniable convenience.
However, this seemingly intuitive interface can pose significant challenges for individuals with disabilities, such as those suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Challenges for ALS Patients
ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to progressive muscle weakness, often resulting in severely limited mobility. For affected individuals, pressing a button or even swiping a screen can become arduous tasks.
In a bid to make smartphones more accessible for these users, Honor has introduced an intent-based eye-tracking system with MagicOS 8.0, reflecting its commitment to human-centric innovation. This feature enables users to control their phones solely through eye movements.
"ALS patients often retain control only of their eye movement in the later stages of the disease," says Limore Noach, executive director of the ALS Foundation Netherlands. Thanks to Honor, these users now have a new way to interact with their smartphones.
Intent-Based Eye-Tracking System
The system is termed "intent-based" because it leverages artificial intelligence to discern what the user intends to do. This makes navigating the phone more straightforward and natural.
Honor demonstrated this intent-based eye-tracking system at MWC this year on the Chinese Magic 6 Pro smartphone. The company has now announced that the feature will be available on global devices starting August 27th. However, Honor has yet to clarify which smartphones will support this technology. We hope that every device receiving MagicOS 8.0 will include it.
Future Innovations
Looking towards the future, Honor is also working on a brain-computer interface (BCI) system. This technology will enable people to communicate with external devices using brain signals, offering an incredibly convenient method for those with limited mobility.
Although the BCI system is still under development, Honor has launched a social media campaign, #HONORtheChallenger, to raise awareness for ALS across platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Endorsed by athletes such as Nile Wilson, the campaign has already achieved a global engagement of 11 million.
