Eye Tracking Cost: a Tradeoff for Quality?

One of the greatest factors inhibiting the widespread use of eye tracking is cost. It’s an issue that comes up in our articles frequently, and is apparently a popular topic among our readers. In fact, the top 3 most read posts last month were: The Price of Eye Tracking, How to Make An Eye Tracker For Under Fifty Bucks, and Try These Free Web Usability Tools. The problem regarding the high price of eye tracking is not going unnoticed, yet the biggest challenge facing eye tracking technology developers is creating a system that is both accurate and cost effective.

Inaccurate eye tracking is useless. Whether it is being used to research visual behavior or to control a communication program, it is absolutely critical for the gaze calculation to be exact (or as close as possible). Researchers depend on quality data output in order to get valid results and meaningful outcomes. Similarly, trying to select icons or type on an onscreen keyboard with an imprecise eye tracker is not only frustrating, but also exhausting and straining on the eyes.

Eye tracking technology development is expensive, and there is no way around it. Sure, you can piece together a contraption using store-bought components that cost around $50, but how unobtrusive is a device that looks like a giant octopus hanging on your face? The reason commercially available eye trackers are so expensive is because of advanced hardware and software engineering efforts required to create a system that’s truly useful. Whether wearable or remote, the goal is to get the most precise tracking with the least amount of interference.

Unfortunately, cost isn’t necessarily an indicator of quality in all cases. I have heard from several paralyzed individuals, who have become so discouraged with recalibration issues and malfunctions due to sensitive lighting conditions, that the $18,000 eye tracking system they purchased for communication ends up as a very expensive closet ornament.

So how do you know which eye tracker to buy? It really depends on how critical the accuracy is for your purpose. Some research doesn’t require advanced oculometric data output or pinpoint precision, and only needs simple indications of eye movement directions and blink behaviors. Your budget is another important factor to consider. Some of the more pricey eye trackers include support and even onsite technicians to help with setup, training, and troubleshooting, which may be worth the extra money if you don’t have experience with this kind of technology. If you are tight on cash, there are cheaper options, but quality issues may limit your capabilities.

Whichever route you choose, be sure to do your research. Check out what other users are saying about their experiences with certain products on forums and blogs and also read through publications which may give you some insight to which devices are most commonly used.

Feel free to share your opinions on the cost of eye tracking or experiences (good or bad) with eye tracking devices.