Fun with eyetrak machine

by on August 2, 2006

Larry Larsen works at Poynter Institute. They are the R&D arm of the newspaper industry (their eye track research led to the development of USA Today back in the 1980s).

Today eye tracking machines are getting cheaper, smaller, faster, and easier to use. As evidence of this Larry put up some videos of him using his eye track machine while doing things like playing Xbox games. Lots of fun.

I’d love to have one of these and run my friends through it while using the Web so I could learn from how they look at various things.

  • Low Priced EyeTracking Technology ...hmmm...


    This will be exceptionally googd for Advertising Agencies as Well as Web Designers and Search Engine Marketers.

    The only fear is that if it becomes to commercialized - much of the creativity be be compromised - much of what happened to FM radio after media metrics took off :?


    But if it REALLY takes off - it will be used by many design professions to make creative decisions, including: Fashion Designers, Miss Universe Contestants, Dance Choreagraphers, Movie Producers etc.......
  • Daniel Carruth
    I've done some eye tracking research (student of cognitive science) with pilots and it is very interesting work. We've got an eye tracker now that you can walk around with.
    I should try out some video game research.
  • Nick: now THAT might get you on Valleywag. Oh, wait, you write Valleywag.

    It'd be fun to watch you look at TechCrunch. :-)
  • Rex
    That's the first time I've ever heard Poynter called "the R&D arm of the newspaper industry." And the last.
  • But do either of us want our wives tracking where our eyes are really going?
  • David Los
    Eye tracking really is a great tool! While we were doing some prototype interfaces for our interactive tv project we always ran them through some tests with people wearing eye tracking devices. It really is amazing where we think people will be looking, and where they actually are looking!

    Our research center has even done some studies for some websites (we actually have a group coming in tonight). The devs and designers are always very suprised by the results.
  • If by "various things" you mean "porn," I'm so volunteering.
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