AUTHOR=Liu Mengxi , Bian Sizhen , Zhao Zimin , Zhou Bo , Lukowicz Paul 

TITLE=Energy-efficient, low-latency, and non-contact eye blink detection with capacitive sensing

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Computer Science

VOLUME=Volume 6 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/computer-science/articles/10.3389/fcomp.2024.1394397

DOI=10.3389/fcomp.2024.1394397

ISSN=2624-9898

ABSTRACT=This work described a novel non-contact, wearable, real-time eye blink detection solution based on capacitive sensing technology. A custom-built prototype employing low-cost and lowpower consumption capacitive sensors was integrated into standard glasses, with a copper tape electrode affixed to the frame. The blink of an eye induces a variation in capacitance between the electrode and the eyelid, thereby generating a distinctive capacitance-related signal. By analyzing this signal, eye blink activity can be accurately identified. The effectiveness and reliability of the proposed solution were evaluated through five distinct scenarios involving eight participants.Utilizing a user-dependent detection method with a customized predefined threshold value, an average precision of 92% and a recall of 94% were achieved. Furthermore, an efficient userindependent model based on the two-bit precision decision tree was further applied, yielding an average precision of 80% and an average recall of 81%. These results demonstrate the potential of the proposed technology for real-world applications requiring precise and unobtrusive eye blink detection.