Blog Your Life With Sony’s Eye Tracking Prototype

Similar to some other devices we’ve seen recently, Sony is said to be working on a pair of eye tracking glasses. Tech-On!, a technology news site which covers tech industry across Asia, is reporting that Sony Computer Science Laboratories Inc (Sony CSL) recently showcased a device that tracks human eye movement with infra red light reflected off the retina.

Their device debuted at a tech open house a few weeks ago, and was developed in collaboration with the University of Tokyo. The device monitors and measures eye movement, collecting data with a camera that can be embedded in the glasses.

This is not a full scale eye tracking device but something that is attached or embedded into the glasses with a series of LED lamps, photoreceivers, and a mounted camera outside. Infrared light is directed at the eyeball and reflected to locate the pupil, showing where a user is looking and for how long. The glasses are able to recognize English characters, and can collect data from written material the user is looking at.

According to the article, Sony CSL is planning to add GPS functionality to the glasses so they can collect location data for a user. Sony CSL is apparently having issues with power supply for the glasses, but because it’s possible to embed most of the hardware within the glasses, it may be a possibility to include a rechargeable battery of sorts.

If Sony decides to develop a commercial product and take it to market, it will have some competition. The biggest seller of commercial eye tracking products is Tobii, which until recently makes monitor embedded eye tracking systems that track eye movement from a distance, just announced the release of its new wearable eye tracking device. Check back soon for a post on this exciting news!

Sony Prototypes Eye-tracking Glasses for Lifelog

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