Journal of Eye Movement Research
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Eye tracking in optometry: A systematic review
This systematic review examines the use of eye-tracking devices in optometry, describing their main characteristics, areas of application and metrics used. Using the PRISMA method, a systematic search was performed of three databases. The search strategy identified 141 reports relevant to this topic, indicating the exponential growth over the past ten years of the use of eye trackers in optometry. Eye-tracking technology was applied in at least 12 areas of the field of optometry and rehabilitation, the main ones being optometric device technology, and the assessment, treatment, and analysis of ocular disorders. The main devices reported on were infrared light-based and had an image capture frequency of 60 Hz to 2000 Hz. The main metrics mentioned were fixations, saccadic movements, smooth pursuit, microsaccades, and pupil variables. Study quality was sometimes limited in that incomplete information was provided regarding the devices used, the study design, the methods used, participants\u27 visual function and statistical treatment of data. While there is still a need for more research in this area, eye-tracking devices should be more actively incorporated as a useful tool with both clinical and research applications. This review highlights the robustness this technology offers to obtain objective information about a person\u27s vision in terms of optometry and visual function, with implications for improving visual health services and our understanding of the vision process
Pun processing in advertising posters: evidence from eye tracking
This study examines the process of reading polycode advertising posters, focusing in particular on the effect of a pun in the headline. The pun, or a sequence of lexical items that can be perceived as ambiguous, is contained in the headline and different meanings of this sequence are supported by the picture and text. The results of the preliminary experiment showed that advertisements with puns are rated as more attractive, original, effective and positive compared to advertisements without puns. We hypothesized that puns in the headlines increase cognitive effort in processing posters, leading to higher evaluations. The main experiment tested this and examined differences in eye movement when reading posters with and without puns. Fifty-five Russian participants viewed advertisements while their eye movements were recorded. Our results showed no fundamental differences in the general pattern of viewing advertisement posters with and without puns. We found that readers start to perceive polycode advertisements from the text and spend more time reading the text than looking at an image. These findings shed light on how attention is distributed between verbal and non-verbal components of polycode texts, and which type of poster is more effective for information retrieval at different processing levels
Cognitive load estimation in VR flight simulator
This paper discusses the design and development of a low-cost virtual reality (VR) based flight simulator with cognitive load estimation feature using ocular and EEG signals. Focus is on exploring methods to evaluate pilot’s interactions with aircraft by means of quantifying pilot’s perceived cognitive load under different task scenarios. Realistic target tracking and context of the battlefield is designed in VR. Head mounted eye gaze tracker and EEG headset are used for acquiring pupil diameter, gaze fixation, gaze direction and EEG theta, alpha, and beta band power data in real time. We developed an AI agent model in VR and created scenarios of interactions with the piloted aircraft. To estimate the pilot’s cognitive load, we used low-frequency pupil diameter variations, fixation rate, gaze distribution pattern, EEG signal-based task load index and EEG task engagement index. We compared the physiological measures of workload with the standard user’s inceptor control-based workload metrics. Results of the piloted simulation study indicate that the metrics discussed in the paper have strong association with pilot’s perceived task difficulty
MAP3D: An explorative approach for automatic mapping of real-world eye-tracking data on a virtual 3D model
Mobile eye tracking helps to investigate real-world settings, in which participants can move freely. This enhances the studies’ ecological validity but poses challenges for the analysis. Often, the 3D stimulus is reduced to a 2D image (reference view) and the fixations are manually mapped to this 2D image. This leads to a loss of information about the three-dimensionality of the stimulus. Using several reference images, from different perspectives, poses new problems, in particular concerning the mapping of fixations in the transition areas between two reference views. A newly developed approach (MAP3D) is presented that enables generating a 3D model and automatic mapping of fixations to this virtual 3D model of the stimulus. This avoids problems with the reduction to a 2D reference image and with transitions between images. The x, y and z coordinates of the fixations are available as a point cloud and as .csv output. First exploratory application and evaluation tests are promising: MAP3D offers innovative ways of post-hoc mapping fixation data on 3D stimuli with open-source software and thus provides cost-efficient new avenues for research
A systematic performance comparison of two Smooth Pursuit detection algorithms in Virtual Reality depending on target number, distance, and movement patterns
We compared the performance of two smooth-pursuit-based object selection algorithms in Virtual Reality (VR). To assess the best algorithm for a range of configurations, we systematically varied the number of targets to choose from, their distance, and their movement pattern (linear and circular). Performance was operationalized as the ratio of hits, misses and non-detections. Averaged over all distances, the correlation-based algorithm performed better for circular movement patterns compared to linear ones (F(1,11) = 24.27, p < .001, η² = .29). This was not found for the difference-based algorithm (F(1,11) = 0.98, p = .344, η² = .01). Both algorithms performed better in close distances compared to larger ones (F(1,11) = 190.77, p < .001, η² = .75 correlation-based, and F(1,11) = 148.20, p < .001, η² = .42, difference-based). An interaction effect for distance x movement emerged. After systematically varying the number of targets, these results could be replicated, with a slightly smaller effect.
Based on performance levels, we introduce the concept of an optimal threshold algorithm, suggesting the best detection algorithm for the individual target configuration. Learnings of adding the third dimension to the detection algorithms and the role of distractors are discussed and suggestions for future research added
The effect of practice and musical structure on pianists’ eye-hand span and visual monitoring
This study examines short-term improvement of music performances and oculomotor behaviour during four successive executions of a brief musical piece composed by Bartók, “Slovak Boys’ Dance”. Pianists (n=22) were allowed to practice for two minutes between each trial. Eye-tracking data were collected as well as MIDI information from pianists’ performances. Cognitive skills were assessed by a spatial memory test and a reading span test. Principal component analysis (PCA) enabled us to distinguish two axes, one associated with anticipation and the other with dependence/independence on written code. The effect of musical structure, determined by the emergence of different sections in the score, was observed in all the dependent variables selected from the PCA; we also observed the effect of practice on the number of fixations, the number of glances at the keyboard (GAK) and the awareness span. Pianist expertise was associated with fewer fixations and GAK, better anticipation capacities and more effective strategies for visual monitoring of motor movements. The significant correlations observed between the reading span test and GAK duration highlight the challenge of working memory involvement during music reading.
Filtering eye-tracking data from an EyeLink 1000: Comparing heuristic, savitzky-golay, IIR and FIR digital filters
In a prior report (Raju et al., 2023) we concluded that, if the goal was to preserve events such as saccades, microsaccades, and smooth pursuit in eye-tracking recordings, data with sine wave frequencies less than 75 Hz were the signal and data above 75 Hz were noise. Here, we compare five filters in their ability to preserve signal and remove noise. We compared the proprietary STD and EXTRA heuristic filters provided by our EyeLink 1000 (SR-Research, Ottawa, Canada), a Savitzky-Golay (SG) filter, an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter (low-pass Butterworth), and a finite impulse filter (FIR). For each of the non-heuristic filters, we systematically searched for optimal parameters. Both the IIR and the FIR filters were zero-phase filters. All filters were evaluated on 216 fixation segments (256 samples), from nine subjects. Mean frequency response profiles and amplitude spectra for all five filters are provided. Also, we examined the effect of our filters on a noisy recording. Our FIR filter had the sharpest roll-off of any filter. Therefore, it maintained the signal and removed noise more effectively than any other filter. On this basis, we recommend the use of our FIR filter. We also report on the effect of these filters on temporal autocorrelation
Motion velocity as a preattentive feature in cartographic symbolization
The presented study aims to examine the process of preattentive processing of dynamic point symbols used in cartographic symbology. More specifically, we explore different motion types of geometric symbols on a map together with various motion velocity distribution scales. The main hypothesis is that, in specific cases, motion velocity of dynamic point symbols is the feature that could be perceived preattentively on a map. In a controlled laboratory experiment, with 103 participants and eye tracking methods, we used administrative border maps with animated symbols. Participants’ task was to find and precisely identify the fastest changing symbol. It turned out that not every type of motion could be perceived preattentively even though the motion distribution scale did not change. The same applied to symbols’ shape. Eye movement analysis revealed that successful detection was closely related to the fixation on the target after initial preattentive vision. This confirms a significant role of the motion velocity distribution and the usage of symbols’ shape in cartographic design of animated maps
Behind the scenes: Impact of virtual backgrounds in educational videos on visual processing and learning outcomes
The increasing use of instructional videos in educational settings has emphasized the need for a deeper understanding of their design requirements. This study investigates the impact of virtual backgrounds in educational videos on students\u27 visual information processing and learning outcomes. Participants aged 14-17 (N=47) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a video with a neutral, authentic, or off-topic background. Their prior knowledge and working memory capacity (WMC) were measured before watching the video, and eye tracking data was collected during the viewing. Learning outcomes and student experiences were assessed after viewing. The eye tracking data revealed that a neutral background was the least distracting, allowing students to pay better attention to relevant parts of the video. Students found the off-topic background most distracting, but the negative effect on learning outcomes was not statistically significant. In contrast to expectations, no positive effect was observed for the authentic background. Furthermore, WMC had a significant impact on visual information processing and learning outcomes. These findings suggest that educators should consider using neutral backgrounds in educational videos, particularly for learners with lower WMC. Consequently, this research underscores the significance of careful design considerations in the creation of instructional videos
Determining which sine wave frequencies correspond to signal and which correspond to noise in eye-tracking time-series
The Fourier theorem states that any time-series can be decomposed into a set of sinusoidal frequencies, each with its own phase and amplitude. The literature suggests that some frequencies are important to reproduce key qualities of eye-movements (“signal”) and some of frequencies are not important (“noise”). To investigate what is signal and what is noise, we analyzed our dataset in three ways: (1) visual inspection of plots of saccade, microsaccade and smooth pursuit exemplars; (2) analysis of the percentage of variance accounted for (PVAF) in 1,033 unfiltered saccade trajectories by each frequency band; (3) analyzing the main sequence relationship between saccade peak velocity and amplitude, based on a power law fit. Visual inspection suggested that frequencies up to 75 Hz are required to represent microsaccades. Our PVAF analysis indicated that signals in the 0-25 Hz band account for nearly 100% of the variance in saccade trajectories. Power law coefficients (a, b) return to unfiltered levels for signals low-pass filtered at 75 Hz or higher. We conclude that to maintain eye- movement signal and reduce noise, a cutoff frequency of 75 Hz is appropriate. We explain why, given this finding, a minimum sampling rate of 750 Hz is suggested