Smartbox Grid Pad Evo
Tolt Technologies’ Ability Drive system, which enables eye-gaze power wheelchair operation, is now compatible with the Smartbox Grid Pad Evo eye-gaze camera.
“This integration enables Grid Pad EVO users to independently drive and adjust seating on their power wheelchair using only their eye movements, combining Smartbox’s latest intelligent eye tracking technology with Tolt Technologies’ patented Ability Drive system,” Duvall, Washington-based Tolt Technologies said in an April 8 press release.
The announcement described the Evo as “Smartbox’s most advanced in-house eye tracker, featuring powerful machine learning algorithms trained on real-world scenarios to deliver fast, accurate and highly responsive performance. The Evo’s dedicated Neural Processing Unit handles all eye tracking processing directly on the camera — not the host device — enabling smooth, low-latency performance even under challenging conditions.”
The Evo is designed to work well for power chair riders who wear glasses, experience a range of head positions while in their power chairs, or use eye-gaze systems in environments with a range of lighting conditions.
“We are thrilled to add the Smartbox Grid Pad Evo to the growing list of supported devices for Ability Drive,” said Tolt Technologies’ CEO Tracy Beavers. “Smartbox’s Evo represents the cutting edge of AAC eye tracking technology, and we are proud to bring this integration to users who depend on their Grid Pad for both communication and mobility.”
Ability Drive’s interface is a joystick alternative for power chair riders with a range of diagnoses, from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to motor neuron disease, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy and other conditions that impact limb function.
