A number of companies at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show demonstrated alternatives to traditional computer and television controls, replacing the mouse or remote with voice, hand, or, in the case of Tobii Technology, eye. Tobii’s gaze tracking technology was surprisingly responsive—I lost this game of asteroids quickly not because the eye tracking software slipped up, but because I simply got overwhelmed by the number of targets coming at me. Guess I need a little more practice.
Tekla S. Perry is a senior editor at IEEE Spectrum. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., she's been covering the people, companies, and technology that make Silicon Valley a special place for more than 40 years. An IEEE member, she holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University.