Optimized deep learning architectures for high precision eye blink detection on consumer grade hardware


Ata F., AYTURAN K., HARDALAÇ F., KUTBAY U.

Discover Artificial Intelligence, cilt.6, sa.1, 2026 (Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 6 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s44163-026-01446-2
  • Dergi Adı: Discover Artificial Intelligence
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Assistive technology, Custom CNN, Deep learning, Eye blink detection, Human-computer interaction, Low-cost eye tracking, ResNet
  • Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Eye blink detection technology has traditionally relied on specialized, high-cost hardware, creating a barrier to its widespread adoption in human-computer interaction and assistive systems. This study challenges that limitation by demonstrating that consumer-grade webcams, when paired with optimized deep learning architectures, can achieve high-precision ocular state classification.(2–5) Three distinct neural network architectures—ResNet, VGG-19, and an application-specific lightweight Convolutional Neural Network—were evaluated and fine-tuned to detect four ocular states (open, closed, left, right) using a standard 5MP webcam.(1–1) To ensure statistical robustness, a rigorous stratified 10-fold cross-validation protocol was applied to a diverse dataset of 3,206 frames collected from 50 participants. The experimental results reveal that computationally efficient models can rival deep architectures; both the ResNet and the custom CNN achieved a high average accuracy of 99.81% (2–14), while the fine-tuned VGG-19 reached 99.66%. Furthermore, robustness tests conducted on low-resolution images confirmed the system’s stability even under significant quality degradation. By demonstrating that accessible hardware can deliver results comparable to high-end sensors under controlled evaluations, this research proposes a highly promising, cost-effective framework. With further large-scale validation, this approach can be scaled for critical applications ranging from driver fatigue monitoring to accessible communication technologies for individuals with disabilities.(2–3).