A recent case study looking at how nystagmus sufferers read text. Study done using a T60XL Tobii eye tracker and Tobii Studio software.

1. Ophthalmology Widescreen eye tracking opens up new
& eye tracking avenues of vision research
The Tobii T60 XL provides a non-invasive technique to study eye movements
and eye movement deficits. The wide, high-resolution screen provides an
enhanced opportunity to present naturalistic as well as eccentric stimuli and
longer pursuit trajectories. In addition, the display more closely fills a
subject’s field of view.
EYE TRACKING RESEARCH
Customer
The School of Optometry &
Vision Sciences, Cardiff Background Because the system is completely non­
University Maggie Woodhouse & Jon Erichsen at the invasive and measures vertical as well as
School of Optometry & Vision Sciences at horizontal eye movements, experiments
Cardiff University conduct research to concerning how people do everyday tasks
Objectives
better understand eye movements and eye like reading or looking at complex images
The research aims to acquire
movement problems, and to develop means can be carried out much more straightfor­
a better understanding of eye
of diagnosing problems in clinical situations. wardly. A particular strength of the T60 XL
movements and eye move­
The research involves studying eye move­ Eye Tracker is the ease with which it can
ment deficits such as
ment deficits such as nystagmus and determine gaze direction (i.e. where a sub­
nystagmus, and to developing
strabismus (squint), clinical evaluation of ject is looking) in real time.
means of diagnosing
eye movement control, and validation of
problems in clinical situations.
tests supposedly detecting tracking The figures below illustrate how differently a
difficulties. person with nystagmus reads as compared
Tools & methods
to a normal subject.
The Tobii T60 XL Eye Tracker
Visual performance in people with
has enhanced the
researchers’ opportunity to
nystagmus
For many years, the Cardiff Research Unit
collect eye movement data in
for Nystagmus (R.U.N.) has been studying
various projects.
eye movements of people with an early
onset, continuous horizontal oscillation of
Results
their eyes that impairs their vision. Eye
In recent years, a number of
tracking has allowed researchers to quantify
discoveries have been made,
the dynamics of these eye movements and
dispelling anecdotal theories
how they are affected by such environ­
and identifying key factors in
mental influences as stressful situations.
visual problems experienced
Gaze plot from a person with nystagmus.
by people who suffer from
Until acquiring the Tobii T60 XL Eye Tracker,
nystagmus. For a list of
these measurements could only be
publications, please visit
achieved by the use of equipment that had
www.cardiff.ac.uk/optom.
to be placed on the head, limiting the range
of eye movements that can be tested.
The researchers hope to be
able to present new findings
The widescreen Tobii T60 XL Eye Tracker
on clinical evaluation of eye
makes it much easier to present eccentric
movement properties in
stimuli to investigate size and frequency of
children in 2010.
eye movements (in people with nystagmus
affected by the orientation of the eyes in the
head). Gaze plot from a normal subject.
“We are finding the Tobii systems very easy to use and
very patient friendly. The Tobii T60 XL is going to allow us
to extend our research to hard-to-test groups such as
children, and to explore avenues of research that were
simply not open to us beforehand, such as non-invasive
recording of eye movements in all directions
simultaneously.”
Maggie Woodhouse & Jon Erichsen, Senior Lecturers,
School of Optometry & Vision Sciences, Cardiff University

2. About the customer The hypothesis is that, when distracters are Why Tobii?
Tobii_Customercase_Cardiff University_03092010._USENG
present and/or instructions are given at the “For the evaluation of eye movement control
Name: The School of Optometry & outset and not reinforced during tracking, in a clinical setting, it is essential that non­
eye movement will be haphazard and invasive techniques can be used which do
Vision Sciences, Cardiff University
tracking ability will appear poor. When dis­ not interfere with normal eye movements as
Web: www.cardiff.ac.uk/optom tracters are removed and instructions rein­ the subject responds to visual stimulation.
location: Cardiff, Wales, UK forced in a child­friendly way, tracking will The Tobii T60 XL is both non­invasive and
industry: Academic research improve. very easy to use,” says Maggie Wood­
house, Senior Lecturer at the School of
The School of Optometry & Vision Studies of children with suspected tracking Optometry & Vision Sciences, Cardiff
Sciences is a world­class vision difficulties will be carried out to answer the University.
questions. A Tobii T60 XL Eye Tracker will
research organization that has been
be used for stimuli presentation and “We have shown proof of principle with the
rated as excellent in the latest
recording eye movement data, which will T60 XL Eye Tracker that studies involving
government assessment. Their eye then be analyzed for the degree of tracking young children are possible with only limited
movement and special needs units are precision and consistency. head restraint. Most other eye tracking
dedicated to the better understanding systems are not child friendly, involving the
of eye movements and eye movement user wearing a headset, etc, and it is un­
difficulties, and to developing means likely that a child’s eye movement behaviour
of diagnosing problems in clinical would be ‘normal’ in such a situation.
situations, particularly with children
”The remarkably simple set­up of the Tobii
and people with limited communi­
T60 Eye Tracker means that an experiment
cation skills. can be underway quickly and, for example,
a young child is much more likely to remain
relaxed. The widescreen display is appeal­
ing and captures their attention, making the
entire situation much more natural and likely
Clinical evaluation of eye to generate meaningful data about visual
movement control in children capabilities.
Other research aims to improve clinical
evaluation of eye movement properties, The Tobii T60 Eye Tracker does not require “The wider screen of the T60 XL Eye
such as eye following (smooth pursuit) placing any equipment on the head.
Tracker also provides an enhanced oppor­
movements. In a recently initiated study that tunity to present eccentric stimuli and/or
focuses specifically on children, eye track­ longer pursuit trajectories. One of the more
ing will be used to answer the following Why Eye Tracking? exciting aspects of the system is the ability
questions: People make numerous eye movements to examine eye movement behaviour using
• How reliable are current clinical tests for throughout the day, accomplishing a variety naturalistic stimuli in the clinic.
evaluating eye movement control in of important visual tasks like reading, track­
children? ing moving objects, compensating for head “The Tobii T60 XL is supplied with
• What impact do the surroundings and the and body movements, or simply looking Tobii Studio, which is excellent software
instructions have on a child’s ability to around to take in the world around them. for display and analysis, and this is also
track a moving object in a clinical setting? With the right equipment, these eye move­ used by the research team”, says
ments can be quantified and analyzed, Maggie Woodhouse.
telling us a great deal about how people
use their eyes, what they look at, and in­
deed, what they can see.
To find out how eye
tracking can improve
your research, please
visit www.tobii.com or
contact one of our
offices.
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