A pilot study by Elliott et al. (2019) confirmed that individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) could safely and reliably navigate a powered wheelchair using only their eyes, reporting high satisfaction and usability. Building on this evidence, Tolt Technologies offers a commercially available solution through ongoing collaboration with durable medical equipment (DME) providers and Assistive Technology Professionals (ATPs). Sup- porting hundreds of Ability Drive® evaluations each year, we’ve seen firsthand how the system restores meaningful mobility to individuals with complex motor impairments. It enables them to navigate using what is often their last remaining voluntary movement: their eyes. THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND ABILITY DRIVE Eye-gaze technology has emerged as a transformative ad- vancement in assistive technology, offering individuals with se- vere motor impairments an intuitive way to communicate, con- trol their surroundings, and be more mobile. These systems use infrared light to track eye movements with precision, projecting near-infrared light onto the eyes and capturing reflections with specialized cameras. By analyzing the corneal reflection and pu- pil position, the system calculates the user’s point of gaze in real
time (Tobii, 2022). For individuals who cannot use their hands or voice, including those with ALS, cerebral palsy, or spinal cord in- juries, eye-gaze provides a non-invasive, highly responsive input method for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, as well as for operating powered wheelchairs and oth- er essential assistive tools. This combination of communication and control restores significant autonomy and personal agency in everyday life (Majaranta & Räihä, 2002; Ates et al., 2021). Ability Drive® converts eye movement into functional mobili- ty through an integrated system of five components: (1) the Abil- ity Drive® app, which displays a forward-facing camera view with a semi-transparent directional button overlay, allowing users to see both their controls and the path ahead; (2) the ADT (Ability Drive® hardware interface), a compact microcontroller that con- nects a compatible eye-gaze device to a powered wheelchair via an alternative drive input; (3) a supported eye-gaze device, such as a Tobii Dynavox I-Series, Smartbox GridPad, Tolt Technologies A13J, or other models listed on Tolt’s compatibility page; (4) a secure mounting system, like those from Mount’n Mover or Reh- adapt, to ensure proper positioning, visibility, and user comfort; and (5) a Class 3 powered wheelchair capable of supporting al- ternative drive inputs. Together with wheelchair programming
App settings menu where users can configure aspects of the drive screen .
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