Google showcased an impressive Face Control AI feature at I/O 2024 that allowed users to control a computer using their head movements and facial gestures. Turns out, Google has introduced Face Control on Chromebooks with the recent version 132 update. I just tried it on my Chromebook, and to my surprise, it worked flawlessly from the get-go.
You simply have to enable Face Control under the Accessibility settings on your Chromebook, and you’re good to go. When you configure it, it downloads the ML models for the first time in the background. Following that, Face Control works even without an internet connection. Best of all, Google says it doesn’t collect any personal data for the Face Control feature.
Control Your Chromebook with Eyes and Head Movements
Once you enable Face Control on your Chromebook, a persistent facial icon appears on the screen. It denotes that your face and head movements are being tracked by the webcam. Now, move your head to the left, right, up, or down to control the mouse cursor. ChromeOS offers several key features to improve head tracking, responsiveness, and speed.
When I started testing the feature, I realized the sensitivity was a little off. So, I suggest changing the Cursor stability to “Responsive” to dramatically improve the cursor responsiveness and accurately follow my head movement. You can also adjust the Cursor speed to suitably reflect your preference.
Finally, you can define Actions that allow you to perform actions based on your facial expression or gesture. For example, I added that a click should be performed on the current position when I smile, and the page should scroll down when I make a circle with my lips. There are numerous other facial gestures you can choose from: raise eyebrows, squint left eye, blink both eyes, etc.
The best part is that you can set the threshold for triggering the action based on your facial expression. For instance, I reduced the threshold based on the intensity of my smile. The window goes green when your facial expression is detected successfully. You can now save the action. You can add multiple such actions and assign different facial expressions as well.
My Experience Using Face Control on Chromebook
In my testing, I successfully launched Chrome and opened YouTube on my Chromebook by just using my face. Yes, Face Control worked seamlessly. Next, I opened the Settings app and turned off Wi-Fi to check whether Face Control works without an active internet connection, and it surely did.
In both cases, I could perform actions with minimal hurdles. Of course, I had to customize Face Control settings to my liking in order to quickly navigate their Chromebook interface. Coupled with Dictation and Auto Clicker on Chromebook, I believe Face Control can become a powerful tool for those with movement disorders.
Some might argue that the Face Control feature is gimmicky, similar to Pixel 4’s Motion Sense feature, but Google specifically developed it to assist users who suffer from motor impairments. It’s a great accessibility feature that can help in hands-free navigation, making interaction with devices seamless and easy.
In fact, the inspiration for Face Control came from Google’s Project GameFace and Lance Carr, a gamer with muscular dystrophy. Beyond gaming, this AI-powered technology can effectively be used to improve general OS navigation. And since Chromebooks are mainly aimed at students from diverse backgrounds, including those with disabilities, Face Control can improve learning as well.
