Eye tracking biometrics for medical diagnosis
The intimate connection between the eyes and the brain make eye tracking a clear fit in the field of neuroscience. In fact, the eyes have distinct movement patterns that can be altered by neurodamage and neurological disorders, which can be captured and identified by certain eye tracking systems. Recent advances in eye tracking technology by the medical device manufacturer, EyeBrain, are even making it possible to diagnose diseases like Parkinson’s, and further clinical studies are underway for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
The Mobile EyeBrain Tracker (EBT) is currently used in several French hospitals to help with early characterization of Parkinsonian syndromes, including progressive supra-nuclear paralysis (PSP), cortico-basal degeneration (CBD) and multiple systems atrophy (MSA). EyeBrain’s most recent project is a trial to investigate late on-set complications of levodopa, which is used as a treatment to slow the effects of Parkinson’s. The speed of the subjects’ eye movements will be recorded and measured using the EBT to evaluate the motricity effects of the levodopa treatment. The objective is to determine whether the treatment improves motricity by taking a look at eye blink parameters that may signify improvement. The patients’ response to the trail may also predict how they will react to an upcoming neurosurgical procedure to follow the assessment.
The field of biometrics in general is booming due to advancements in technologies that are allowing for scientists, researchers, and physicians to gain access to biological indicators that weren’t previously available. Eye tracking technology is becoming a powerful tool for capturing ocular measurements that are indistinguishable during direct observation. Eye trackers, especially systems that use video, can now record oculometrics such as eye blink velocity and frequency, pupil constriction rates, fixation duration, and PERCLOS (percentage of time eyes are closed over the pupil). It’s the meaning behind all of these oculometrics that is still yet to be fully explored.