Sony Tests 'Lifelogging' EyeTracker

Sony Computer Science Laboratories (Sony CSL) has developed a prototype eye tracking and recording device which can capture everything a user sees.

The new 'lifelogging' eye tracking system, which has been developed in collaboration with the University of Tokyo, can be attached to a pair of glasses which are fitted with infrared LED lamps and receivers inside, and a camera on the outside.

The system works by directing an infrared light into the user's eyeball. Photoreceivers detect where the light bounces off, determining the position of the pupil and tracking the user's gaze; and the camera then films their eye movement.

At this point, eye tracking information is linked with 'lifelog' data collected by the camera built in to the device, and Sony says that with this data, a person's interests can be identified.

In addition, the device can recognize English words, characters or book titles so that it can determine what a user is reading.

Sony is currently planning to build the system into the glasses' frame, and also intends to embed a GPS feature into the device which will record where the user is at any point in time.

Web site: www.sonycsl.co.jp .