Look2Hook - A Comparative Study of Eye-tracker and Mouse Based Object Selection in a Complex Environment

Abstract: In this thesis the Tobii eye-tracker 4L was used to investigate how well eye-tracking solutions such as a confirmation-click and dwell-time algorithm compares to the standard mouse input device when performing selection tasks in a map environment. In order to distinguish the different complexity one could face, two user cases are proposed. Scenario one includes non clustered objects. Scenario two include clustered occluded objects. A user study with nine different participants where conducted in order to compare the execution times and find out how error prone the different methods were. Each test participant performed eight different tests, three in the non-clustered scenario and five in the clustered scenario. In two of the tests in the clustered scenario test participants were aided with zooming through a zoom algorithm. The methods was evaluated by calculating the average execution times and errors along with the corresponding standard deviations. In order to grasp the users experience a subjective cognitive load score was calculated with the help of a questionnaire. The eye-tracker methods was found to be competitive in comparison to mouse interaction in the more simple non-clustered case. However, in a more complex scenario such as the clustered case the mouse interaction had the lowest average completion time and cognitive load score. A different type of selection behaviour was discovered among the test participants in the clustered scenario due to the difference in precision between the eye-tracker and mouse interaction. Finally interesting areas to consider in the future is presented and discussed.