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Eye-controlled games move closer to reality

Eye-tracking specialist Tobii wants you to drop your mouse or joystick and just use your eyes to play its games.
Written by Jack Clark, Contributor
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Eye-tracking specialist Tobii released a new version of its eye tracking technology - the Tobii IS-2 Eye Tracker module. Photo credit: Jack Clark

Eye-tracking specialist Tobii released a new version of its eye tracking technology - the Tobii IS-2 Eye Tracker module - at CeBIT on Monday. Tobii says its technology is now more responsive and can fit in a wider range of hardware, including gaming machines.

Tobii uses two infrared projectors to illuminate the users' pupils and two small cameras to record their positions as they change, then feed this data to the onboard processors, which then output the person's eye position, pupil size and gaze position.

The most striking thing about the newest version of the eye-controlled device is the ease with which your brain acclimatizes to it. ZDNet UK found that after about half a minute of use you forget your eyes are a control interface; the feeling is similar to the use of a mouse - you never think of your hand.

For more on this story, read Eye-controlled arcade games move closer on ZDNet UK.

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On the game machines and other demonstration appliances it took around 10 seconds to calibrate. Photo credit: Jack Clark

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Though the company demonstrated a prototype laptop made in partnership with Lenovo a year ago, Tobii plans to pursue other markets due to the trend for slim, miniature laptops that is sweeping the technology industry. Photo credit: Jack Clark

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