Gaze-Tracking Visual Attractant for Non-Intrusive Notification Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern mobile computing devices, especially those with pass-through displays, face challenges in presenting notifications in a non-intrusive manner due to the overwhelming nature of multiple notifications, which can disrupt users' tasks and be distracting.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine when a user's gaze is moving towards important information on a display, causing a visual attractant to be presented proximate the information and ceasing its presentation before the user's gaze reaches it, thereby minimizing intrusiveness while still attracting attention subconsciously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a visual attractant is presented to attract user's gaze to information, then the user's attention is drawn to the information, but the user becomes consciously aware of the attractant and loses concentration on the current task
Solution Approach 1:
The system presents the visual attractant before the user's gaze reaches the information, creating a subtle cue that guides attention without requiring conscious perception. The attractant is activated in advance and automatically deactivated once the user's gaze proximity threshold is reached, ensuring the information is noticed without the user being aware of the attractant's presence
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the functional element (gaze attraction) from the form element (visual attractant). Instead of relying on the user to notice and process the attractant consciously, the system uses eye-tracking data to determine when the user's gaze is approaching the information and automatically removes the attractant at that moment, separating the attraction function from the user's conscious awareness
2Loss of information
If multiple notifications are presented to inform users of important information, then the user is provided with comprehensive information, but the user becomes overwhelmed and distracted from the current task
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of presenting all notifications uniformly, the system applies different characteristics to different notifications based on their importance and the user's current context. The visual attractant is selectively applied only to notifications that require attention, and its presentation is localized in time and space based on real-time eye-tracking data, reducing overall cognitive load while maintaining information completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The notification system transitions from a static, persistent display to a dynamic, adaptive presentation. The visual attractant's visibility is continuously adjusted based on real-time eye-tracking data, changing from visible to invisible as the user's gaze approaches the information. This dynamic behavior allows multiple notifications to be managed without overwhelming the user, as the system automatically prioritizes based on attentional state
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are herein provided for attracting a user's gaze to information associated with a portion of a display in a non-intrusive manner. A method may include determining to attract a user's gaze to information associated with a portion of a display. The method may further include causing presentation of a visual attractant on the display proximate the portion of the display. The method may further include causing presentation of the visual attractant on the display to be ceased in an instance in which the user's gaze is determined to be moving toward the information. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are also provided.