øyetracking

Eyetracking is a research method used to measure eye movements or the path of the gaze of a person. It can be used to determine what a person is looking at, for how long, and in what order. This technology is employed in a variety of fields, including psychology, human-computer interaction, marketing, and usability testing.

The primary components of an eyetracking system are a camera to record eye movements and a computer to analyze the data. There are two main types of eyetracking: remote and head-mounted. Remote eyetrackers are placed at a distance from the participant, typically on a desk or mounted on a screen. Head-mounted eyetrackers are worn by the participant, often as glasses, and provide more freedom of movement.

Data collected from eyetracking can include fixation points (where the eye pauses), saccades (rapid eye movements between fixations), and pupil dilation. These metrics provide insights into cognitive processes, attention, and engagement. For example, in usability studies, eyetracking can reveal where users struggle on a website or application. In marketing, it can show which advertisements or product displays capture consumer attention.

Eyetracking has applications beyond research. It can be used for assistive technologies, allowing individuals with severe motor impairments to control computers or communicate using their eye movements. It is also explored in fields like sports psychology to understand the visual strategies of athletes and in ophthalmology for diagnosing certain eye conditions. The interpretation of eyetracking data requires careful consideration of experimental design and potential confounding factors.