Comcast Adds To Accessibility Offerings With Eye Control For The Television

We’re committed to making our products and services accessible to everyone, no matter their abilities. For instance, during Autism Awareness Month, we highlighted some of the ways our technology team makes improvements to Xfinity Home, Xfinity xFi and Xfinity TV that work for everyone.

We’re also involved in the community. For Comcast Cares Day last month, our Beltway Region employees volunteered with The Arc Baltimore, The Arc Greater Prince William County and the Itineris Foundation on beautification projects and activities with organization members. And last week, we attended The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region’s annual meeting to share how our Xfinity X1 features make accessing content easier for all customers through the X1 Voice Remote, talking guide and more.

Today, this commitment continues with the launch of a new X1 feature that gives people with physical disabilities like spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) the ability to navigate their television using only their eyes. Xfinity X1 eye control is a free web-based remote for tablets and computers that pairs with an existing eye gaze system. It allows viewers to have control over their Xfinity X1 television entertainment and features, all with a glance.

In the U.S., more than 48 million people live with physical or mobility disabilities and every day about 15 people are newly diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, a disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. These disabilities can often make seemingly everyday tasks more difficult. With X1 eye control, customers can easily change the channel, search for content, set a recording, bring up X1 apps, access additional accessibility features like closed captioning and voice guidance and more.

For more on today’s announcement, go here.