Abstract: A method for determining eye openness with an eye tracking device is disclosed. The method may include determining, for pixels of an image sensor of an eye tracking device, during a first time period when an eye of a user is open, a first sum of intensity of the pixels. The method may also include determining, during a second time period when the eye of the user is closed, a second sum of intensity of the pixels. The method may further include determining, during a third time period, a third sum of intensity of the pixels. The method may additionally include determining that upon the third sum exceeding a fourth sum of the first sum plus a threshold amount, that the eye of the user is closed, the threshold amount is equal to a product of a threshold fraction and a difference between the first sum and the second sum.

Abstract: A method and system for assisting a user when interacting with a graphical user interface combines gaze based input with gesture based user commands. A user of a computer system without a traditional touch-screen can interact with graphical user interfaces in a touch-screen like manner using a combination of gaze based input and gesture based user commands. A solution for touch-screen like interaction uses gaze input and gesture based input as a complement or an alternative to touch-screen interactions with a computer device having a touch-screen. Combined gaze and gesture based interaction with graphical user interfaces can be used to achieve a touchscreen like environment in computer systems without a traditional touchscreen or in computer systems having a touchscreen arranged ergonomically unfavorable for the user or a touchscreen arranged such that it is more comfortable for the user to use gesture and gaze for the interaction than the touchscreen.

Abstract: A portable eye tracker device is disclosed which includes a frame, at least one optics holding member, a movement sensor, and a control unit. The frame may be a frame adapted for wearing by a user. The at least one optics holding member may include at least one illuminator configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, and at least one image sensor configured to capture image data representing images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user. The movement sensor may be configured to detect movement of the frame. The control unit may be configured to control the at least one illuminator for the selective illumination of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, receive the image data from the image sensors, and receive information from the movement sensor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a wearable apparatus is provided which may include a holographic film disposed on the wearable apparatus, an eye tracking device including an image sensor and an illuminator, and one or more processors. The processors may be configured to activate the illuminator to illuminate the holographic film and capture, with the image sensor, an image of at least a portion of the holographic film while the holographic film is illuminated. The processors may also be configured to determine a characteristic of the holographic film based on the image and determine, based on the characteristic, a location or an orientation of the image sensor relative to the holographic film. The processors may further be configured to change, based on the location or the orientation of the image sensor relative to the holographic film, at least one calibration parameter of the image sensor.

Abstract: A method for panning content on a display of a wearable device is disclosed. The method may include determining, via an eye tracking device, a gaze direction of a user. The method may also include determining, via a movement detection system, a head direction of the user. The method may further include, based at least in part on the gaze direction and the head direction both being consistent with a particular direction, causing content displayed on a display of the wearable device to be panned in the particular direction. The method may additionally include determining during panning of the content, via the eye tracking device, that the gaze direction of the user has returned to a neutral position. The method may moreover include, based at least in part on the gaze direction of the user returning to the neutral position, causing content displayed on the display to stop panning.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus has a light sensitive area and a control unit. The light sensitive area registers image data in response to an incoming amount of light, and is operable in an active mode wherein image data can be read out there from as well as in a standby mode wherein image data cannot be read out. The control unit produces a control signal setting the light sensitive area to operate in the active mode and the standby mode respectively in a cyclic manner during an operation period, which preferably encompasses multiple data frame read-outs of image data from the light sensitive area.

Abstract: A portable eye tracker device is disclosed which includes a frame, at least one optics holding member, and a control unit. The frame may be adapted for wearing by a user. The at least one optics holding member may include at least one illuminator configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, and at least one image sensor configured to capture image data representing images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user. The control unit may be configured to control the at least one illuminator for the selective illumination of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, receive the image data from the at least one image sensor, and calibrate at least one illuminator, at least one image sensor, or an algorithm of the control unit.

Abstract: A personal computer system provides a gaze-controlled graphical user interface having a bidirectional and a unidirectional interaction mode. In the bidirectional interaction mode, a display shows one or more graphical controls in motion, each being associated with an input operation to an operating system. A gaze tracking system provides gaze point data of a viewer, and a matching module attempts to match a relative gaze movement against a relative movement of one of the graphical controls. The system includes a selector which is preferably controllable by a modality other than gaze. The system initiates a transition from the unidirectional interaction mode to the bidirectional interaction mode in response to an input received at the selector. The display then shows graphical controls in motion in a neighborhood of the current gaze point, as determined based on current gaze data.

Abstract: At least one image registering unit records at least one series of images representing a subject. A control unit controls an operation sequence for the at least one image registering unit in such a manner that a subsequent data processing unit receives a repeating sequence of image frames there from, wherein each period contains at least one image frame of a first resolution and at least one image frame of a second resolution being different from the first resolution. Based on the registered image frames, the data processing unit produces eye/gaze tracking data with respect to the subject.

Abstract: A display system may include a display, a beam splitter, a mirror, and an eye tracking system. The beam splitter may receive display light from the display in a first direction and direct at least some of the display light towards the mirror. The mirror may reflect at least some of the display light from the beam splitter back towards the beam splitter, where the beam splitter may direct at least some of the reflected display light in a second direction. The eye tracking system may comprise a light source for providing tracking light for reflection at an eye. The beam splitter may receive reflected tracking light back from the second direction and direct at least some of that light towards the eye tracking system. The eye tracking system may comprise a camera for receiving at least some of the reflected tracking light directed by the beam splitter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for assisting a user when interacting with a graphical user interface by combining eye based input with input for e.g. selection and activation of objects and object parts and execution of contextual actions related to the objects and object parts. The present invention also relates to such systems and methods in which the user can configure and customize specific combinations of eye data input and input that should result in a specific contextual action.

Abstract: A system is disclosed which may include an eye tracking device and a processor. The eye tracking device may be for determining a gaze direction of a user. The processor may be configured to cause a first image to be displayed on a display device. The processor may also be configured to determine a velocity of a saccade by a user based at least in part on the gaze direction. The processor may further be configured to modify the first image to generate a second image based at least in part on the velocity of the saccade. Modifying the first image may include altering an image quality of an area of the first image, and the area may be selected based at least in part on the velocity of the saccade.

Abstract: According to the invention, a method for providing audio to a user is disclosed. The method may include determining, with an eye tracking device, a gaze point of a user on a display. The method may also include causing, with a computer system, an audio device to produce audio to the user, where content of the audio may be based at least in part on the gaze point of the user on the display.

Abstract: A method for controlling illuminators in an eye tracking system and a corresponding system are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of illuminators arranged such that each illuminator of the illuminators is located at a respective fixed position in relation to an eye of a user when using the system. The method comprises illuminating the eye of the user by means of the plurality of illuminators, and receiving an image of the eye of the user from an image sensor, the image resulting from the image sensor detecting light from the plurality of illuminators reflected from the eye of the user and reflected from an optic arrangement located between the plurality of illuminators and the eye of the user.

Abstract: A method for determining correspondence between a gaze direction and an environment around a wearable device is disclosed. The wearable device may include an eye tracking device and an outward facing image sensor. The method may include receiving an input parameter and at least one scene image from the outward facing image sensor. The method may further include determining, with at least the eye tracking device, at least one gaze direction of a wearer of the wearable device at a point in time corresponding to when the scene image was captured by the outward facing image sensor. The method may additionally include determining, based at least in part on the input parameter, that a particular scene image includes at least a portion of a predefined image. The method may moreover include determining, based on the at least one gaze direction, at least one gaze point on the particular scene image.

Abstract: An image of an eye of a user from an image sensor can be received, the image resulting from the image sensor detecting light from one or more illuminators reflected from the eye of the user. A glint is identified in the image as a representation in the image of a reflection of light from a cornea of the eye of the user or from a sclera of the eye of the user. A first pixel intensity of the glint is determined, a second pixel intensity of neighbor pixels of the glint is determined, and an absolute value of the difference between the first pixel intensity and the second pixel intensity is determined. The glint is identified as a representation of a reflection from the sclera of the eye of the user on condition that the determined absolute value of the difference is below a predetermine threshold value.

Abstract: A method and system for assisting a user when interacting with a graphical user interface combines gaze based input with gesture based user commands. A user of a computer system without a traditional touch-screen can interact with graphical user interfaces in a touch-screen like manner using a combination of gaze based input and gesture based user commands. A solution for touch-screen like interaction uses gaze input and gesture based input as a complement or an alternative to touch-screen interactions with a computer device having a touch-screen. Combined gaze and gesture based interaction with graphical user interfaces can be used to achieve a touch-screen like environment in computer systems without a traditional touchscreen or in computer systems having a touchscreen arranged ergonomically unfavorable for the user or a touchscreen arranged such that it is more comfortable for the user to use gesture and gaze for the interaction than the touchscreen.

Abstract: According to the invention, a method for changing information on a display in a vehicle based on a gaze direction of a driver is disclosed. The method may include displaying information on the display in the vehicle. The method may also include receiving gaze data indicative of the gaze direction of a user. The method may further include changing the display based at least in part on the gaze data.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining an image of an eye in a bright-pupil imaging mode in which a retinal retro-reflection complements the image of the eye in the bright-pupil mode, and obtaining an image of the eye in a dark-pupil imaging mode in which a corneo-scleral retro-reflection complements the image of the eye in the dark-pupil mode. One of the bright-pupil imaging mode and the dark-pupil imaging mode is selected based on quality of obtained images.

Abstract: According to the invention, a method for changing a display based at least in part on a gaze point of a user on the display is disclosed. The method may include receiving information identifying a location of the gaze point of the user on the display. The method may also include, based at least in part on the location of the gaze point, causing a virtual camera perspective to change, thereby causing content on the display associated with the virtual camera to change.