The Eye-tracking technology in the healthcare settings: an observational, cross sectional, multicenter study

Successful communication is considered an essential component of the quality of care and safety of the patient with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Recent technology has provided alternative communication systems, including the Eye-tracking technology, which enables interaction with others in the more advanced stages of the disease. The aim of the study is to investigate patients' difficulties in using the eye tracker, their problem in obtaining the device and the clinical complications resulting from it. A "snowball sampling" method study was conducted from April to September 2020 until sample saturation. The results of the study demonstrate the countless difficulties in obtaining the eye- tracker, with long waiting times, which are not followed by adequate training in its correct use. Among the consequences linked to the use of this device, the most frequent were nystagmus (8.8%), onset of eyelid ptosis (16.2%) and the appearance of increased fatigue. 56.1% of the sample used the eye tracker to surf the Internet whereas 9.1% used it to write e-mails. Overall, the use of the eye tracker led to an improvement in overall quality of life (24%). In Conclusions, the Eye-tracking technology is a valuable device for Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) in ALS patients and can be used with good performance, therefore the need for information, training and improvement on this topic is essential

有效的沟通被认为是肌萎缩侧索硬化症（Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS）患者护理质量与安全保障的核心要素。近年来，技术发展为患者提供了替代性沟通系统，其中眼动追踪技术（Eye-tracking technology）可帮助疾病晚期患者实现与他人的互动。本研究旨在探究患者使用眼动追踪设备时遇到的困难、设备获取障碍及其引发的临床并发症。研究采用滚雪球抽样法（snowball sampling），于2020年4月至9月开展，直至样本饱和。研究结果显示，患者在获取眼动追踪设备时面临诸多困难，包括漫长的等待时间，且设备到手后缺乏正确使用的充分培训。与设备使用相关的并发症中，最常见的是眼球震颤（nystagmus，8.8%）、眼睑下垂（eyelid ptosis，16.2%）及疲劳感加重。样本中56.1%的患者使用眼动追踪设备上网，9.1%用于撰写电子邮件。总体而言，眼动追踪设备的使用使患者整体生活质量得到改善（24%）。综上，眼动追踪技术是ALS患者替代性辅助沟通（Alternative Augmentative Communication, AAC）的重要工具，且应用效果良好，因此亟需加强相关信息普及、使用培训及技术改进。