Comcast launched a new free feature on Monday allowing disabled viewers to change the channel using their eyes.
Using “Xfinity X1 eye control,” a web-based remote that pairs with existing eye gaze technology, viewers can change the channel, set recordings and search for shows. The new service is aiming to help customers with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and other ailments that make mundane tasks like changing the channel a major hurdle for millions of users. Citing U.S. Census data, Comcast said 48 million Americans are living with physical or mobility issues.
“Changing the channel on a TV is something most of us take for granted but until now, it was a near-impossible task for millions of viewers,” Tom Wlodkowski, vice president of Accessibility at Comcast, said in a statement.