Why is Our Eye Tracker Wearable?

There are typically two main types of eye tracking devices: wearable devices and monitor embedded devices. The EC7T™, designed and developed by Eye-Com Corporation, is an integrated, wearable eye tracking and head tracking platform that uses microcameras to monitor pupil activity and head movement.

So why did Eye-Com choose a wearable system design over a monitor embedded one? There are undeniable advantages that wearable systems have to offer. The eye-monitoring microcameras and infrared lighting components of wearable eye trackers, like the EC7T™, are near to the eye so the region can be flooded with IR illumination and a high-resolution image of the eye is captured. The close proximity of these components also makes the accuracy of the system less sensitive to varying external lighting conditions.

The nature of monitor embedded systems calls for remote eye tracking, which requires the cameras within the monitor to capture the user’s entire face, recognize the location of the eye, and then isolate the pupil region from the image so its movement can be tracked. Because the IR lighting components of these systems are so far from the user’s face, the systems are often susceptible to changes in lighting conditions in the room.

Another benefit of wearable devices is their mobility. Whether wireless or connected with some type of tether, wearable devices can be worn by active users in just about any environment. Therefore, they can be used to track eye movement and visual attention on real world objects and surroundings as opposed to only presenting images on a monitor screen. While monitor embedded systems may be more comfortable to use because there is no contact with the face, the benefits of mobility can be a major tradeoff with mild discomfort from wearable devices.

Some of the capabilities of the EC7T™ system include drowsiness detection in drivers, biomonitoring in military field training applications, and eye-based control of wheelchair movement, all of which are best accomplished with a mobile, wearable eye tracking device.

For more information on the EC7T™, visit the Eye-Com EC7T™ Eye Tracking System page. Also, check out the Eye Tracking Applications page for an extended look at the capabilities of the EC7T™ system.

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