The advancement of technology is never ending. The computer you bought last month now has an updated platform and offers more features than were available when you made your purchase. It’s hard to keep up with computers, smart phones, televisions and other portable devices.

As well as the integration of touch screens on smart phones and tablets, the video game industry has also added more user interaction into their systems. The Wii, Xbox and Playstation all have systems that allow gamers to play with their bodies instead of a controller. The Xbox can also use voice interaction to control some menu and game options.

So why would we be surprised to learn that Tobii Technologies is testing a system that allows users to communicate with their eyes? This system, called Gaze, uses webcam technology in a device to “watch” the user and determine what they are looking at. Pretty neat! There are even rumors that this technology will somehow be incorporated into the new Microsoft Windows 8 operating system.

This definitely sounds intriguing, but I’m not quite sure how well this technology can be utilized. It may work great for certain games and programs, but building an entire operating system out of eye communication can cause problems. Imagine you’re browsing the Internet and a flashing ad catches your attention at the top of the screen. The Gaze technology may think you want to view that ad, taking you to an unintended website.

It does put kind of a funny image in my head though – a room full of people all sitting around computers simply staring at the screens. But that isn’t necessarily the case. The eye-controlled technology simply uses your eyes to replace a computer mouse, still making a keyboard necessary.

Depending on the responsiveness and accuracy of this feature, it could be quite helpful and a definite time saver. Even though you don’t realize that moving your mouse around the screen does take several seconds, simply using your instincts to search for the information will move the screen with your gaze. This technology could also work wonders for anyone with disabilities, offering people the opportunity to easily communicate and use a computer without the use of their hands.

The Gaze system is definitely something to keep an eye on, no pun intended, but this is one of those things that I think I’ll let others work out the kinks before I buy. This system can either be widely accepted or receive horrible reviews.