Free · No account · Private by design
Air Keyboard
Eye-gaze keyboards cost thousands of dollars. The Air Keyboard does the same job for free with the webcam you already own: it watches your index finger, shows an on-screen keyboard in Chrome's side panel, and types into Google Docs, Gmail, or any web app when you point at a key and pinch. Everything runs on your device.
The Air Keyboard is a free Chrome extension that lets you type without touching the keyboard: point with your index finger to highlight a key, then pinch (thumb to index finger) or hold still to press it. It types into the focused field of the active tab, so it works in Google Docs, Gmail, and any web app. No account, no video ever leaves your device, and there is nothing to buy.
Get the Air Keyboard
What it does
The extension opens a side panel next to any web page. The panel shows your camera view and an on-screen keyboard. A hand-tracking model running in the browser follows your index fingertip:
- Point to highlight a key under your fingertip.
- Pinch (bring thumb and index finger together) to press the highlighted key.
- Dwell (hold your fingertip still on a key) also presses it, with an adjustable timer.
Pressed keys are delivered to the focused field of the active tab through the extension's content script, so you can type in Docs, Gmail, search boxes, chats, and web apps.
Layouts and settings
Three layouts: QWERTY for touch typists, ABC (alphabetical) for hunt-and-peck, and a frequency-ordered layout that puts the most common letters closest to the center for shorter finger travel. Press by pinch only, dwell only, or both. Dwell time is adjustable from 300 ms to 2 seconds. Shift is a one-shot key: tap it, then tap a letter for the uppercase.
Your video never leaves your device
Camera frames are analyzed in the browser and discarded; the hand model is bundled with the extension. The content script only inserts text into the focused field: it never reads page content, and nothing is sent anywhere. There is no account, no analytics, no recording. The camera turns fully off when you stop it or close the panel.
Honest limits
It types into web pages, not the browser's own address bar or apps outside Chrome (that needs a native companion, planned for phase 2). This is a home typing aid, not a medical or certified assistive device. If you need a certified assistive device, talk to an assistive-technology professional.
Install the Air Keyboard
Reviewing flashcards hands-free too? The Hands-Free Anki Clicker rates cards with gestures and voice, so you can get through a deck without touching the keyboard at all.
Prefer face gestures to hand gestures? Face Switch is a free trainer that teaches hands-free face control: eyebrow raise to click, mouth open to scroll, head turns to move, double blink to pause, all on-device.
Install: download the folder, open chrome://extensions, turn on Developer mode, click Load unpacked, pick the folder. Free and open, no store account needed.
Planning estimate only. Results use the list prices shown and may differ from your actual bill. Terms
Frequently asked questions
Is the Air Keyboard free?
Yes, completely. It exists as a free alternative to eye-gaze keyboards that cost thousands of dollars: your webcam is the sensor. No account, no ads.
How do I type with it?
Point with your index finger to highlight a key on the side-panel keyboard, then pinch your thumb and index finger together (or hold still) to press it. The key is typed into the focused field of the active tab.
Where does it work?
In any web page inside Chrome: Google Docs, Gmail, search boxes, chats, web apps. It types into web pages, not the browser's own address bar or apps outside Chrome.
Does my camera video leave my device?
No. Frames are analyzed in your browser by a bundled hand-tracking model and discarded. The extension makes no network requests; there is no account and nothing is recorded.
What keyboard layouts are available?
QWERTY, ABC (alphabetical), and a frequency-ordered layout that puts common letters closest to the center. You can also choose pinch-only, dwell-only, or both, and adjust the dwell time.
Is this a medical assistive device?
No. It is a home typing aid. If you need a certified assistive device, talk to an assistive-technology professional.
How do I install it?
Download the extension folder, open chrome://extensions in Chrome, turn on Developer mode, click Load unpacked, and pick the folder. Click the extension icon to open the side panel, then Start camera.
Does it work offline?
Yes. The hand model and all code are bundled with the extension, so it works with no internet connection.