Eye tracking as a physical interface
Wheelchair Control is likely the most ambitious feature announced for visionOS 27 on the accessibility front. AppleInsider describes it as part of the accessibility announcements confirmed ahead of the keynote: the Vision Pro, which already uses eye tracking as the primary mode of interaction with the operating system, extends that same infrastructure to the control of a motorized wheelchair. The user looks in the direction they want to move, and the system translates the eye movement into commands for the vehicle.
The technical logic
The Vision Pro has a high-precision eye tracking system, developed for cursor navigation and element selection in the spatial interface. Wheelchair Control repurposes this infrastructure for a radically different — and more real-world impactful — use case. The feature targets people with limited upper limb mobility who cannot use joysticks or traditional manual controls.
One more argument for Vision Pro
The Vision Pro still struggles to find a mainstream user base, partly due to its high price. Features like Wheelchair Control build a medical-assistive use case that could justify the cost in institutional contexts — hospitals, rehabilitation facilities — where the device might be purchased as a therapeutic tool rather than a consumer gadget. It is a slow path, but it is the most credible direction for professional Vision Pro adoption in the short term.