Paint with your eyes, talk with your knees

Published On Mon 5 Feb 2018 by Roddy Isles

Can you paint with your eyes? Can you talk with your knee? How can computer vision help us to communicate?

Experts from the University of Dundee will help answer these questions on February 10 at the National Museum of Scotland as part of the museum’s Science Saturdays programme.

The University is among the world’s leading centres for research into augmentative and alternative communication technologies for people with severe communication difficulties. In helping develop new tools and technologies, researchers are addressing some of the basic challenges of communication.

“Our work looks at how we can use technology to open up communication for people without speech and with physical disabilities,” said Rolf Black, from the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Research Group at the University.

“That includes all sorts of innovative technology. We use access technology such as Eye Gaze, a system which allows users to control their computer using only their eyes, and our research prototype software such as the STANDUP joke generator we have developed with colleagues at the Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh. It’s a perfect example on how artificial intelligence can help children with no speech learn about language – in this case enjoying the process of learning how to tell jokes.

“The event at the National Museum of Scotland will be a fun afternoon where the public can get an insight in to the work we do, play with some of the technology that has been developed, and gain an awareness of how we all overcome communication challenges.”

The event will also feature face recognition systems, a computer that lets you chat like Stephen Hawking, and the chance to make vowel resonator trumpets.

The Science Saturday event takes place at the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, from 12 noon to 4pm on February 10.

(Image courtesy of Chris Scott Photography)

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head of Corporate Communications
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384910
Mobile: 07800 581902
Email: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk