Gaze-Stabilized Selection for Eye-Tracking Interfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

When users operate objects on a display screen through line-of-sight detection, the movement of the object is often influenced by the user's eye movements, making it difficult to accurately position the object, thereby degrading user convenience.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus and method that determines the position of the user's line of sight and brings displayed objects to a selected state based on specific conditions, such as time or eye motion, to prevent movement with the user's gaze, enhancing user convenience by stabilizing object placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the user operates objects on the display screen through line-of-sight detection, then the user can control the system hands-free, but the object position is influenced by eye movement making precise placement difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehands-free operationVSAvoidobject placement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically changes the object's display position based on detected eye movement. When the object is determined to be moving with the user's gaze, the system automatically adjusts its position to compensate for the eye movement, allowing the user to operate hands-free while maintaining placement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system detects eye movement and uses this feedback to determine whether an object is moving with the gaze. Based on this detection result, the system adjusts the object's position accordingly, creating a closed-loop control that resolves the contradiction between hands-free operation and placement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the object position is adjusted to compensate for eye movement, then placement precision is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject placement precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary detection mechanism (eye movement detection) that mediates between the user's natural gaze and the object's display position. This intermediary layer automatically compensates for eye movement without requiring complex user input processing or multiple control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If the object is fixed in position to prevent movement with gaze, then placement precision is improved, but the user cannot naturally move the object by moving eyes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject placement precisionVSAvoidoperation flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts object behavior based on detected eye movement patterns. When gaze-induced movement is detected, the system compensates to maintain precision; when intentional navigation is detected, the system allows natural movement. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between fixed positioning and operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of the object based on the detection results. By monitoring eye movement and determining whether movement is intentional or gaze-induced, the system adjusts parameters such as object responsiveness and position stability to satisfy both precision and flexibility requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The solution effectively prevents objects from being moved by the user's gaze, allowing precise placement and enhancing user convenience by maintaining object position independently of eye movement once selected.

Implementation Method 1

an infrared LED arranged below the display. A user, by an eye-controlled input, designates a button image or a predetermined region on a screen. When a line of sight is to be detected, an infrared ray (infrared light) emitted from the infrared LED arranged below the display is irradiated to a lower portion of a pupil

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInfrared radiation: Infrared Radiation

Implementation Method 2

the pupil and a reflected light of the infrared light can be imaged

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3042265B1Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
Publication Date: 2022.09.14 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP3042265B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3042265B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP3042265B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided an information processing apparatus including a circuitry configured to control a state of a selection candidate object, when a predetermined condition concerning a selection of the selection candidate object is determined to be satisfied based on a relation between a display position of the selection candidate object and a position towards which the user gazes or a gazing direction, by bringing the selection candidate object to a selected state.