Comparing head- and eye direction and accuracy during smooth pursuit in an augmented reality environment

Abstract: Smooth pursuit is the movement that occurs when the eyes meticulously follow an object in motion. While smooth pursuit can be achieved with a stationary head, it generally relies on the head following the visual target as well. During smooth pursuit, a coordinating vestibular mechanism, shared by both the head and the eyes, is used. Therefore, smooth pursuit can reveal much about where a person is looking based on only the direction of the head. To investigate the interplay between the eyes and the head, an application was made for the augmented reality head-mounted display Magic Leap. The application gathered data of the head and eyes respective movements. The data was analyzed using visualizations to find relationships within the eye-head coordination. User studies were conducted and the eyes proved to be incredibly accurate and the head direction was close to the target at all times. The results point towards the possibility of using head direction as a model for visual attention in the shape of a cone. The users’ head direction was a good indicator of where they put their attention, making it a valuable tool for developing augmented reality applications for head-mounted displays and smart glasses. By only using head direction, a software developer can measure where most of the users’ attention is put and hence optimize the application according to this information.