Eye tracking is the process of measuring either the point of gaze (where one is looking) or the motion of an eye relative to the head. An eye tracker is a device for measuring eye positions and eye movement. Eye trackers are used in research on the visual system, in psychology, in psycholinguistics marketing, as an input device for human computer iteration, and in product design. There are a number of methods for measuring eye movement. The most popular variant uses video images from which the eye position is extracted. Other methods use search coils or are based on the electrooculogram.
Eye-trackers measure rotations of the eye in one of several ways, but principally they fall into three categories:
- measurement of the movement of an object (normally, a special contact lens) attached to the eye
- optical tracking without direct contact to the eye
- measurement of electric potentials using electrodes placed around the eyes.
The first type uses an attachment to the eye, such as a special contact lens with an embedded mirror or magnetic field sensor, and the movement of the attachment is measured with the assumption that it does not slip significantly as the eye rotates. Measurements with tight-fitting contact lenses have provided extremely sensitive recordings of eye movement, and magnetic search coils are the method of choice for researchers studying the dynamics and underlying physiology of eye movement. This method allows the measurement of eye movement in horizontal, vertical and torsion directions.
Eye tracking has been actively discussed by technology enthusiasts throughout these years, but it’s really challenging to implement. But Eye Tribe actually did this. They successfully created the technology to allow you to control your tablet, play flight simulator, and even slice fruits in Fruit Ninja only with your eye movement.
It’s basically taking the common eye - tracking technology and combining it with a front - facing camera plus some serious computer - vision algorithm, and voila, fruit slicing done with the eyes. A live demo was done in LeWeb this year and we may actually be able to see it in action in mobile devices in 2013.
Currently the company is still seeking partnership to bring this sci - fi tech into the consumer market but you and I know that this product is simply too awesome to fail.