Eye tracking has a presence at CES 2012
Online media is flooding with announcements about all the cool, high tech gadgets being revealed at CES this year in Las Vegas. Among the technologies making the news are several new eye tracking innovations making their debut this week. Here are four eye tracking products that are getting buzz at CES:
Tobii on Windows 8
While not necessarily a new product, Tobii showed off their ability to run their eye control software on a laptop running the new Windows 8 OS. CES Unveiled attendees were able to experience the eye tracking technology for themselves, using their eyes to shoot asteroids flying toward earth in a game called EyeAsteriods. Tobii’s hands free eye tracking technology also has assistive applications for computer control and research.
EyeTech Digital Systems reveals two new products
Arizona based EyeTech Digital Systems introduced two new eye tracking products at CES 2012. One of the new products is the VT2 Mini, which is a small, portable eye tracker that attaches to a laptop or desktop screen with a magnet. It is the smallest eye tracker EyeTech offers and is best used for short distance tracking. The second product is the VT2 XL, which is best for large monitors and TV screens because it can track up to 10 feet away. Both new products use a proprietary USB camera and can be used in research, interactive public displays, and computer control.
Sensics uses eye tracking and head tracking in their 3D SmartGoggles
Like a more futuristic version of the virtual reality headsets of the 90s, the Sensics 3D SmartGoggles combine head tracking and eye tracking to create an immersive video gaming experience. The wearer views the screen of the heads-up display embedded in the large plastic helmet and uses a smart phone or wireless controller to carry out desired actions on the screen. It works 360 degrees and is 3D, which gives the system great potential for gaming, but according to testers at CES, the system is not quite consumer ready.
Toshiba’s 3D TV uses eye tracking to make its glasses-free
Toshiba’s glasses-free TVs use eye tracking to determine where the viewer is situated and adjusts the angle of view to keep the 3D picture aligned. The tracker is able to detect nine pairs of eyes at the same time, allowing for the screen to maintain the 3D display for multiple viewers. Creating an enjoyable viewing experience for multiple users without special glasses was a major hurdle for 3D TV manufacturers to overcome. While Toshiba’s approach is a step in the right direction, glasses-free doesn’t quite yet give the same impression of depth as using shutter glasses.
It’s exciting to see new technologies incorporating eye tracking to improve immersion and user experience. CES is always a good opportunity for eye tracking technology to shine, and I think we will be seeing even more of it in years to come.
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