Non-Contact Capacitive Eye Gaze Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gaze tracking technologies are often uncomfortable and intrusive due to the use of cameras or physical contact, which can be costly and distract from user experience.
Innovation Solution
A non-contact capacitance sensor system that determines eye gaze information by measuring spatial differential capacitance between two sensors, allowing for comfortable and non-intrusive eye movement tracking without physical contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If cameras are used to track eye movements, then gaze tracking capability is achieved, but cost increases and workspace intrusion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces optical camera-based gaze tracking with a capacitive sensing system that uses electrical fields to detect eye movements. This substitution eliminates the need for complex camera hardware and processing, reducing both cost and workspace intrusion while maintaining gaze tracking functionality through measurement of capacitive changes caused by eye movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces capacitive sensors as an intermediary between the user's eyes and the computing device. These sensors detect changes in electrical capacitance caused by eye movements, serving as a non-intrusive mediator that translates physiological movements into digital input signals without requiring direct physical contact or visual monitoring.
2Measurement precision
If electrodes requiring physical contact are used, then gaze tracking is achieved, but user comfort decreases and distraction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses capacitive sensors as a non-contact intermediary to detect eye movements through changes in electrical field capacitance. This eliminates the need for physical electrode contact with the user's skin, thereby maintaining measurement precision while significantly improving user comfort and reducing distraction during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based electrode system with a field-based capacitive sensing system. This substitution removes the physical contact requirement, allowing users to operate the device comfortably without skin contact, while still achieving accurate gaze tracking through detection of capacitive changes associated with eye movement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate and comfortable eye gaze tracking, reducing costs and distractions, while providing effective user input for electronic systems without the need for cameras or electrodes.
Implementation Method 1
determining, by a first non-contact capacitance sensor, a first capacitance associated with a first eye at a first time
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for determining an eye gaze direction of a user through one or more non-contact capacitive sensors. For at least some embodiments, a differential capacitance associated with a users' eye may be determined through at least one of the non-contact capacitive sensors. The differential capacitance may be based on capacitance measurements associated with the users' eye performed at different times. The eye gaze direction may be based, at least in part, on the determined differential capacitance. For some embodiments, two or more non-contact capacitive sensors may be positioned along an axis. Differential capacitance measurements from the two or more non-contact capacitive sensors may determine the eye gaze direction with respect to the axis.