3D Representation of EyeTracking Data : An Implementation in Automotive Perceived Quality Analysis

Abstract: The importance of perceived quality within the automotive industry has been rapidly increasing these years. Since judgmentsconcerning perceived quality is a highly subjective process, eye-tracking technology is one of the best approaches to extractcustomers’ subconscious visual activity during interaction with the product. This thesis aims to find an appropriate solution forrepresenting 3D eye-tracking data for further improvements in the validity and verification efficiency of perceived qualityanalysis, attempting to answer the question:How can eye-tracking data be presented and integrated into 3D automobile design workflow as a material that allows designersto understand their customers better?In the study, a prototype system was built for car-interior inspection in the virtual reality (VR) showroom through an explorativeresearch process including investigations in the acquisition of gaze data in VR, classification of eye movement from thecollected gaze data, and the visualizations for the classified eye movements. The prototype system was then evaluated throughcomparisons between algorithms and feedbacks from the engineers who participated in the pilot study.As a result, a method combining I-VT (identification with velocity threshold) and DBSCAN (density-based spatial clusteringof application with noise) was implemented as the optimum algorithm for eye movement classification. A modified heat map,a cluster plot, a convex hull plot, together with textual information, were used to construct the complete visualization of theeye-tracking data. The prototype system has enabled car designers and engineers to examine both the customers’ and their ownvisual behavior in the 3D virtual showroom during a car inspection, followed by the extraction and visualization of the collectedgaze data. This paper presents the research process, including the introduction to relevant theory, the implementation of theprototype system, and its results. Eventually, strengths and weaknesses, as well as the future work in both the prototype solutionitself and potential experimental use cases, are discussed.