A team from Qingdao University in China has developed the world’s first self-powered eye-tracking system, generating electricity from blinking to control wheelchairs for ALS patients. Led by Professor Long Yunze, the breakthrough, published in Cell Reports Physical Science, eliminates the need for batteries, creating a “mini power plant” within the eye itself.
For individuals with severe conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), even the simple act of moving through the world can be a monumental challenge. Now, a breakthrough from Chinese researchers offers a new path to independence. A team from Qingdao University, led by Professor Long Yunze, has created the world’s first self-powered eye-tracking system, a device that harvests energy from blinking to power itself, the Science and Technology Daily reported. This innovation could liberate patients from the tangled cords and bulky batteries of traditional assistive devices.
The core problem the team solved is one of power. Mature eye-tracking systems have long been hamstrung by their reliance on external batteries, leading to heavy headgear, frequent charging, and limited mobility. For a user trying to steer a wheelchair, these issues create a “high wall” between intention and action, as noted in the Science and Technology Daily report. Professor Long Yunze’s team asked a revolutionary question: what if the user’s own biological movements could provide the solution?
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Their answer is an elegantly simple, dual-layer design that feels like wearing ordinary glasses. The system consists of a special contact lens and a pair of smart eyeglass frames. The magic happens at the ocular surface. A layer of a material called polydimethylsiloxane is placed on the eye like a contact lens. This layer acts as a micro triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), producing tiny electric charges through friction every time the user blinks or shifts their gaze. “The system effectively builds a ‘mini power plant’ within the eye,” explained Professor Long.
The generated charge is then precisely captured. The eyeglass frames are fitted with transparent indium tin oxide electrodes that act as a signal transmitter. Through electrostatic induction, they detect changes in the charge distribution from the moving eye and convert them in real-time into control signals for external devices. This process enables accurate, battery-free control of a wheelchair or communication interface. The findings were published as a headline story in the prestigious journal Cell Reports Physical Science.
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The potential applications stretch far beyond wheelchair navigation. Zhang Jun, a core member of the research team and a specially appointed professor at Qingdao University, noted the team is actively pursuing commercialization partnerships. The technology could be integrated into virtual reality (VR) headsets, allowing for intuitive, hands-free control of digital content, or serve as a core component in next-generation human-computer interfaces.
Moving from lab prototype to widely available product will involve overcoming manufacturing and durability challenges. However, the principle it proves is transformative: the human body can power its own assistive technologies. For the over 600,000 people worldwide living with ALS, and millions more with other mobility-limiting conditions, this research from Qingdao University isn’t just a technical paper—it’s a vision of a future where the barrier between human intention and machine action is erased, powered by nothing more than a blink.
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