Interface and Control of Appliances

by the Analysis of Electrooculography

Signals

S.V. Arthi and Suresh R. Norman

Abstract The movement of the eye is detected by electrooculography

(EOG) technology for clinical applications to identify vestibular and ocular disor-
ders. This technique when employed with the human–computer interface
(HCI) systems can provide great benefits for the people. The main objective of
measurement, analysis, and processing of these signals is to help people who are
suffering with lesser motor capabilities. EOG is the technique of recording the
bio-potential generated by the movement of the eyes. This is done by positioning
the surface electrodes around the eyes and observing the corneo-retinal potential
(CRP) between the anterior part and the posterior part of the eye. This sensed
potential is linearly proportional to the movement of the eyes. The observed bio-
electric signal is in terms of lower voltage, and hence, it is given to signal condi-
tioning circuits to get a more accurate signal. The pattern is recognized for different
movements of the eye and it is used for controlling the appliances.

Keywords Appliance control Communication Electrodes Electrooculography





Eye movement Human–computer interface Signal conditioning

1 Introduction

Action is a form of communication which is more effective than words.

Communication is important for a person with neural, ocular, or vestibular disor-
ders and paralysis patients with little motor capabilities. An efficient solution for

S.V. Arthi (&)

Applied Electronics, ECE Department, SSN College of Engineering,
Kalavakkam, India
e-mail: arthikutty5@gmail.com
S.R. Norman
ECE Department, SSN College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, India
e-mail: sureshrnorman@ssn.edu.in

© Springer India 2016 1075

S.S. Dash et al. (eds.), Artificial Intelligence and Evolutionary Computations
in Engineering Systems, Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing 394,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-2656-7_100
1076 S.V. Arthi and S.R. Norman

communicating and controlling things without speech is that hand and leg move-
ment should be used for differently abled people. The application of using elec-
trooculography signals to control the HCI systems is of importance in recent
decades. The bioelectric potentials produced in the body are sensed directly by
surface electrodes rather than by the normal pathway for communication.
The different methods used for eye movement detection are infrared oculography
(IROG) [1]. This works on a light source being focused at the eye [2]. The intensity
of light reflected to the detector differs proportionally with respect to the eye ball
position. Here, the light source is fixed and so measuring vertical movement of the
eye is difficult since the eyelids occupy more of the space in vertical movement.
The video oculogram (VOG) uses a camera to record the movements of the eye
and convert it into an equivalent mouse movement on the system. Here, the person
has to be seated in front of the camera. Image processing can be done for further
analysis. Scleral search coil (SSC) method is an invasive method where a small coil
is operated and placed inside the lens of the eye [3]. This method is useful for
diagnostic purposes. When a coil of wire is moved in the magnetic field, it induces a
potential in the coil which is attached to the eye.
EOG is a technique which is simple, cost-effective, and noninvasive. Here, the field
of view is not restricted to a video camera or the sensors. The linear proportion between
EOG and eye movement makes the waveform easier to analyze. The EOG technique
can be used with HCI systems for different applications for controlling a wheelchair
[4, 5], a keyboard [6, 7], or a television [8]. This paper presents the control of appliance
by the analysis of eye gestures using EOG technique for the smart control of the
appliances.

2 Engineering Analysis

2.1 Block Diagram

The EOG technique is used to obtain signals using electrodes at five positions around
the eyes. Bio-signals are obtained in the range of 0.05–3.5 mV and have a useful
frequency range from 0 to 16 Hz. So, it is amplified and filtered to remove noise. The
output can be recorded or displayed using a digital storage oscilloscope (DSO). The
basic block diagram of EOG signal conditioning circuit is shown in Fig. 1.
The amplified and filtered signal is analyzed using the microcontroller ATMega
328. The entire block diagram of EOG signal acquisition is shown in Fig. 2. Here,
the output from the reference electrode is given to the analog reference input pin in
order to get accurate digital data. The output from the signal conditioning circuit is
given to the analog input pin.
Interface and Control of Appliances … 1077

Fig. 1 Basic block diagram of EOG signal conditioning circuit

Fig. 2 Block diagram of EOG signal acquisition

1078 S.V. Arthi and S.R. Norman

2.2 Bioelectric Potentials

The chemical activity in the nerves and muscles of the body generates a variety of
signals. They produce a characteristic pattern of voltage variations. This pattern is
recognized for different eye movements and is used for controlling appliances. The
potential difference is established in the cell and it acts similar to a tiny battery.
When electrodes are placed around the eyes, they capture the resting potential
between the cornea and retina, thus employed for analyzing different eye
movements.

2.3 Electrodes

The medical electrodes are employed to figure the electrical activity of the body.
They are used for different clinical applications including electrooculography
(EOG), electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyography (EMG), electroencephalog-
raphy (EEG), and electrogastrogram (EGG). The various types of electrodes used
are microelectrodes, depth electrodes, surface electrodes, needle electrodes, and
corneal electrodes. All these types can be used as dry electrodes or wet electrodes
with an electrolytic gel for increasing the conductivity. The surface electrodes are
shown in Fig. 3.
The properties of EOG signal vary depending on the positioning of the elec-
trodes. Various configurations such as 3/4, 4/5, and 7/8 are used for different
applications where the first number denotes the number of active electrodes placed
and the second number denotes the total number of electrodes including the ref-
erence electrode. The 4/5 electrode configuration is used here, as the wires used in
the 7/8 configuration are a disadvantage. The different measurement systems are
shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 Surface electrodes

Interface and Control of Appliances … 1079

Fig. 4 Different measurement systems

2.4 Flowchart

EOG signals are obtained by 4/5 electrode configuration using the EOG technique.
The signal is amplified with suitable gain using an instrumentation amplifier. The
high frequency and other power line noises are removed using filters. The signal is
analyzed by converting the analog data into digital data by connecting it to the
microcontroller. Further, this obtained digital data are analyzed and the pattern is
recognized for different eye movements. The flowchart for the entire process is
shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 Flowchart for EOG

signal acquisition and control
1080 S.V. Arthi and S.R. Norman

3 Signal Processing

3.1 Instrumentation Amplifier

The bioelectric potential that is being sensed around the eyes is in the range of
0.05–3.5 mV. For further analysis, it must be amplified. The INA118 is a
low-power instrumentation amplifier offering high gain required for the project. It is
used for almost all medical applications to enhance the signal strength. It provides a
high CMRR of about 110 dB and can have a gain of G = 1000. A single external
resistor Rg sets any gain from 1 to 10000. The block diagram of an instrumentation
amplifier is shown in Fig. 6.

3.2 Notch Filter and LPF

Filters are electronic circuits which are employed to extract the useful frequency
range and to filter unwanted frequency components from the signal. This project
requires a filter of high gain to remove power line noise of 50 Hz, and hence, twin-T
notch filter is used which can tune up to 100 dB. Hence, the resistance and
capacitance values are chosen appropriately to get a center rejection frequency of
50 Hz. The notch filter used is shown in Fig. 7. In general, the noises are included in
high frequencies and so a LPF is used. Here, the EOG signal is obtained in the
frequency of about 16 Hz or less. Hence, the cutoff frequency is chosen
accordingly.

Fig. 6 Instrumentation amplifier

Interface and Control of Appliances … 1081

Fig. 7 Notch filter

3.3 Voltage Follower

A voltage follower (buffer) is added to provide electrical impedance transformation

from one circuit to another. It acts as a unity gain amplifier with the gain of 1.
Buffers are used in impedance matching, and the advantage is to maximize the
energy transferred. It is used to connect a high output impedance source to a low
input impedance device and vice versa. The buffer is added to avoid loading effects.

3.4 Microcontroller

The microcontroller used here is Atmega 328 which is a cost-effective version of

Arduino. It has user-friendly open-source software and the required number of input
output pins necessary to connect appliances. It has an inbuilt analog to digital
convertor (ADC) which is needed for digitizing the EOG signal. Coding is done for
pattern recognition, and the controls are assigned for different movements.

4 Experimental Results

The eye movement is similar to a dipole in which the anterior part, i.e., cornea, is
positive and posterior part, i.e., retina, is negative. Left movement of the eye can be
defined as a condition when the cornea approaches near the outer edge of the eye, thus
providing a negative change in the recorded potential [9] . The EOG acquisition is
done, and the waveform is obtained for a person looking straight as shown in Fig. 8.
When the electrodes are placed for detecting the vertical movements of the eye,
the waveforms obtained for top movements are shown in Fig. 9 and that for
downward movements of the eye are shown in Fig. 10. Blinks are more predom-
inant in the vertical electrode placement.
1082 S.V. Arthi and S.R. Norman

Fig. 8 EOG wave of a person looking straight without moving the eye

Fig. 9 EOG wave of the person moving the eye in the top direction

Fig. 10 EOG wave of a person moving the eye in the bottom direction

Fig. 11 EOG wave of a person moving the eye toward the left direction

Similarly, when the electrodes are placed for detecting the horizontal motion of
the eye, the waveforms are obtained for left movement as shown in Fig. 11 and that
for right movement as shown in Fig. 12.
Interface and Control of Appliances … 1083

Fig. 12 EOG wave of a person moving the eye toward the right direction

The human eye is always active and this condition must be considered in all
analysis. Therefore, validation and codification should not be performed involun-
tarily. The horizontal electrodes are placed, and left and right patterns of the eye are
recognized. The Arduino programming is done for controlling a light. Thus, the left
movement of the eye switches off the light and the right movement switches it on.
Similarly, control can be assigned for the top-down movement using the vertical
electrode placement. The 4/5 electrode configuration includes both the horizontal
and vertical placement of electrodes. Thus, the eye movement toward top-left,
top-right, bottom-left, and bottom-right can also be detected. This helps in
increasing control for appliances.

5 Conclusion

The EOG technique is employed here, as it is inexpensive yet reliable human–

computer interface that is used for detecting eye movements. The surface wet
electrodes were used as it provides good conductivity. For this project, 4/5 electrode
system worked successfully instead of 7/8 configuration which had many wires and
also had the difficulty of moving the eyes. The useful EOG signal range was less
than 16 Hz and also the potential was less. Thus, the obtained signal was amplified
sufficiently enough using an instrumentation amplifier. Further improvements in the
analysis were made by filtering the high-frequency components and removing the
power line noise of 50 Hz. The resulting EOG signals were observed in the digital
storage oscilloscope, and the directions of the eye movement were differentiated
based on the amplitude and the time period. The results obtained were reliable.
Further analyses were made by connecting the output to a microcontroller and
digitizing the signal. Codification was done, and controls were assigned for dif-
ferent movements. Thus, the analysis of EOG signals and proper interface lets
people who cannot control an object with their hands, to have more options for
controlling the appliances. Further improvements can be made in placing of the
electrodes around the eyes such that they are more comfortable to wear. The entire
system can also be made wireless and placed in the spectacles.
1084 S.V. Arthi and S.R. Norman

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