Comcast Launches Eye-Control for the Television
June 17 2019 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Xfinity X1 Customers With Physical
Disabilities Can Now Use Their Eyes to Change The Channel, Set a
Recording or Search for a Show
Comcast today launched a feature that gives people with physical
disabilities like spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (ALS) the ability to navigate their television using only
their eyes. Xfinity X1 eye control is a web-based remote for
tablets and computers that pairs with an existing eye gaze system
and allows viewers to change the channel, set a recording, search
for a show and more, all with a glance.
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Xfinity X1 eye control is a web-based
remote for tablets and computers that pairs with an existing eye
gaze system and allows viewers to change the channel, set a
recording, search for a show and more, all with a glance. (Photo:
Business Wire)
In the U.S., more than 48 million people live with physical or
mobility disabilities and every day about 15 people are newly
diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, a disease that attacks
nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. These disabilities can
often make seemingly everyday tasks more difficult.
“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,” said Tom Wlodkowski, Vice President Accessibility at
Comcast. “When you make a product more inclusive you create a
better experience for everyone and we’re hoping our new X1 feature
makes a real difference in the lives of our customers.”
Philadelphia resident Jimmy Curran has Spinal Muscular Atrophy,
a condition that affects the part of the nervous system that
controls muscle movement, and was among the first customers to get
the new X1 eye control technology. You can watch his story here:
https://youtu.be/N2Mit1iQ9Qw
X1 eye control is free and uses a web page remote control that
works seamlessly with existing eye gaze hardware and software,
Sip-and-Puff switches and other assistive technologies. To make X1
eye control work, Xfinity customers visit xfin.tv/access and use
their credentials to pair the web-based remote with their
set-top-box. From that point forward, each time the customer gazes
at a button, the web-based remote sends the corresponding command
to the television.
"We are pleased to see how Comcast continues to make their
products and solutions accessible,” said Tara Rudnicki, President
North America Tobii Dynavox, a leading provider of touch and eye
tracking assistive technology hardware and software. “As an
assistive technology company, we want to empower our users to live
independent lives. With the X1 eye control now enabled with eye
gaze, it will come to great use for many of them.”
With X1 eye control, customers can:
- Change the channel, launch the guide,
search for content, set a recording and more, without
assistance
- Turn on the X1 Sports App which brings
real-time sports scores and statistics into the screen right
alongside the in-game action
- Access X1’s Accessibility menu which
controls closed captioning, video description and voice
guidance
- Use their gaze to type out voice
commands like “watch NBC” or “action movies”
“Comcast knows that TV and media access is a powerful part of
life for most people,” said David Dikter, CEO, Assistive Technology
Industry Association (ATIA). “That X1 can now be used with eye gaze
and an array of other assistive technologies shows a new level of
commitment to access and independence for persons with
disabilities. A company that understands that users have their own
specialized technology and works to bridge these technologies in a
way that delivers value, deserves applause.”
Comcast is committed to making its products, services and
programming more accessible. Over the past few years, the company
launched the industry’s first talking TV guide, introduced a voice
remote control and produced the first live entertainment program in
U.S. history to be accessible to people with a visual disability.
For the 2016 Rio Olympics, NBC included video description with
every primetime show throughout the Games and then for the first
time ever, extended that feature to the 2018 PyeongChang
Paralympics broadcasts on NBC and NBCSN. Comcast also has a service
center specifically dedicated to customers with disabilities where
agents are specially trained in the company’s accessibility
features and general support issues.
About Comcast
Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and
technology company with three primary businesses:
Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable
is one of the United States’ largest video, high-speed internet,
and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity
brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also
provides wireless and security and automation services to
residential customers under the Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is
global and operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks,
the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production
operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures, and
Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of Europe's leading media
and entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range
of video content through its pay television services. It also
provides communications services, including residential
high-speed internet, phone, and wireless services. Sky
operates the Sky News broadcast network and sports and
entertainment networks, produces original content, and has
exclusive content rights. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for
more information.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190617005083/en/
Steven Restivo,
Comcast215.286.3507Steven_Restivo@comcast.com
Jennifer Sala, Comcast215.286.8403Jennifer_Sala@comcast.com
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