University of Arizona researchers develop technique to improve eye-tracking technology

Eye-tracking is an increasingly common part of modern life – used in everything from scientific research and driving assistance, to virtual reality headsets. But accurate tracking remains a challenge.

University of Arizona researchers are working to help solve that problem.

UA researchers say they’ve demonstrated an approach that could revolutionize eye-tracking. Their method integrates a 3D imaging technique known as deflectometry with advanced computation.

Florian Willomitzer is a professor at UA’s Wyant College of Optical Sciences.

“This means it is a technology that enables many applications in many different fields. So one of the nowadays, maybe most prominent application of eye tracking is the application in virtual reality headsets and augmented reality headsets," he said.

He says current methods can only track eyeball movement from a few surface points. He says their innovation can expand that to more than 40,000 surface points – and perhaps even millions – from a single instant camera image.

He says there are plans to patent and for the commercialization of the technology through Tech Launch Arizona, a university initiative to encourage entrepreneurship with research.