Current self-feeding devices on the market cost around $3500, but iCRAFT can be constructed for just around $900.
With the iCRAFT system, there is absolutely no physical connection between the device and the user. All the user needs to do is look at one of four large, brightly-colored rectangles on a computer screen that corresponds to his or her food or drink choice. The eye-tracking camera near the monitor and the special software takes care of the rest, tracking the user’s pupil movements and activating a robot arm with attached eating accoutrement to scoop the food and bring it to the user’s mouth.
The simplicity of the system makes it an attractive solution for giving paralyzed patients more independence in eating with minimal help from a caregiver.
