Design and evaluation of a gaze tracking system for free-space interaction

Although using eye trackers for gaze tracking in human computer interaction gained a lot of attention, generic approaches that allow mobile and free-space interactions for numerous applications are still rare. Known approaches often focus on specific applications and provide only rough estimates for the achieved accuracies or impose sever restrictions on the user's movements. We present the design and detailed evaluation of a mobile gaze tracking system that can be generally applied in pervasive and ubiquitous applications that rely on free-space interactions. Using automated image processing, we also present a fast method for evaluating the achieved accuracies of the eye tracking device and the marker-based mapping onto a screen placed in the vicinity. Evaluation results not only provide details necessary for later applications in ubiquitous environments, but also reveal that manufacturer's specification of the eye tracker's accuracy is barely met in actual use.