Tobii Ab

Andreas Klingström

Mårten Skogö

Mattias Kuldkepp

Daniel Johansson Tornéus

Per Fogelström

Martin Skärbäck

John Mikael Elvesjö

Richard Hainzl

Andrew Ratcliff

Techniques for controlling light sources used in eye tracking are described. In an example, an eye tracking system generates a first image and a second image showing at least a portion of the user eye illuminated by a predetermined set of illuminators of the eye tracking system. The eye tracking system determines a first position of a glint in the first image and a second position of the glint in the second image. Each of the first position and the second position is relative to a pupil edge. The eye tracking system predicts a third position of the glint relative to the pupil edge based on the first position and the second position. Further, the eye tracking system determines, from the predetermined set, an illuminator that corresponds to the glint and determines, based on the third position, whether to power off the illuminator to generate a third image of at least the portion of the user eye.

Controlling illuminators for optimal glints

A method for detecting an eye event of a user using an eye tracking system, the method comprising capturing a first image of a first eye of a user, capturing an image of a second eye of the user a first period after capturing the first image of the first eye and a second period before capturing a next image of the first eye, capturing a second image of the first eye the second period after capturing the image of the second eye, determining that an eye event has occurred based on a difference between the first and second images of the first eye, and performing at least one action if it is determined that that an eye event has occurred.

Eye event detection

A method and a corresponding apparatus for mitigating motion sickness in a virtual reality VR/augmented reality (AR) system using a head mounted display (HMD) are disclosed. The method comprises receiving data from a sensor indicating a current orientation of the HMD in real space, and superimposing a visual indication on a display of the HMD. The visual indication provides visual information to a user of the current orientation of the HMD in real space. Furthermore, methods and corresponding apparatuses are disclosed of calculating gaze convergence distance in an eye tracking system, and of gaze based virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) menu expansion.

Eye tracking applications in virtual reality and augmented reality

The present disclosure relates to an eye tracking method as well as a corresponding system and computer-readable storage medium. Calibration is performed. The calibration comprises estimating values for a plurality of parameters defining respective optical properties of an eye. The plurality of parameters includes a radius of a cornea of the eye. Eye tracking for the eye is performed using the values estimated at the calibration. An updated value of the cornea radius is estimated. Eye tracking for the eye is performed using the updated value of the cornea radius and a value estimated at the calibration for a parameter other than the cornea radius of the eye. The cornea radius of an eye may change over time. This may cause degradation of eye tracking performance. This problem may be reduced or prevented by estimating an updated value of the cornea radius.

Estimating cornea radius for use in eye tracking

According to the invention, a method for changing a display based on a gaze point of a user on the display is disclosed. The method may include determining a gaze point of a user on a display. The method may also include causing a first area of the display to be displayed in a first manner, the first area including the gaze point and a surrounding area. The method may further include causing a second area of the display to be displayed in a second manner, the second area being different than the first area, and the second manner being different than the first manner.

Foveated rendering

A method and a corresponding eye tracking system for providing an approximate gaze convergence distance of a user in an eye tracking system are disclosed. The method comprises determining calibration data in relation to interpupillary distance between a pupil of a left eye and a pupil of a right eye of a user, determining, based on the determined calibration data, a gaze convergence function providing an approximate gaze convergence distance of the user based on a determined interpupillary distance of the user. The method further comprises receiving, from one or more imaging devices, one or more images of the left eye and the right eye of the user, determining a current interpupillary distance of the user based on the one or more images and determining a current approximate gaze convergence distance based on the current interpupillary distance and the gaze convergence function.

Robust convergence signal

Circuitry of a gaze/eye tracking system obtains one or more images of a left eye and one or more images a right eye, determines a gaze direction of the left eye based on at least one obtained image of the left eye, determines a gaze direction of the right eye based on at least one obtained image of the right eye, determines a first confidence value based on the one or more obtained images of the left eye, determines a second confidence value based on the one or more obtained images of the right eye, and determines a final gaze direction based at least in part on the first confidence value and the second confidence value. The first and second confidence values represent indications of the reliability of the determined gaze directions of the left eye and the right eye, respectively. Corresponding methods and computer-readable media are also provided.

Reliability of gaze tracking data for left and right eye

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.

Growing community of inventors

Danderyd, Sweden

Andreas Klingström