Using The Observer XT to integrate & synchronise mobile eyetracking

The Observer XT for behavioural coding can now trigger SMIs award-winning eyetracking Glasses so that live behavioural coding and eyetracking can be easily synchronised remotely.

Following recording eyetracking data can be analysed automatically in many cases using SMIs unique ASGM software and gaze video and data can be imported into The Observer for a more detailed analysis.

Eyetracking support for Gear VR

SMI Mobile Eye Tracking HMD unites SensoMotoric Instrument’s 25 years of eye tracking experience with the globally successful Samsung Gear VR to form the first commercially-available mobile VR headset with eye tracking.  This modified Samsung Gear VR is supplied with eye tracking cameras that have been integrated by SMI and it comes with a specially-modified Samsung Galaxy mobile phone with SMI software pre-installed. Together, they form a VR platform with eye tracking that is intuitive, adaptable, quick to set-up, and easy-to-use.

More inforation can be found here

Usability Laboratory at Staffordshire University

Tracksys completed work on a new Usability Laboratory at Staffordshire University this month. The technical team leader, Alasdair Macdonald, summarises the new facility:

"Last year the School of Computing at Staffordshire University celebrated its 50 Years of Computing’ programme.  We’re ready to open our labs and welcome our new and continuing students to class-leading Computing facilities in our innovative learning spaces.

In a relaxed collaborative manner Tracksys Ltd has designed and installed our customisable usability space. Its complete with HD Pan, Tilt, Zoom cameras, supported by Noldus Media Recorder software and SMI Eye Tracking Glasses. The installation work is of an excellent standard and we thank Tracksys for their continuing commitment to our teaching and learning here at Staffordshire University. I personally would recommend them as a company to any other Institutions out there."

The importance of visual information in speech perception

Researchers from UCL Psychology and Language Sciences are using an RED250 mobile to investigate the importance of visual, rather than auditory information for guiding speech perception, especially in those who are deaf. Deaf adults and children have consistently been found to have lower average reading levels than their hearing peers. There is growing evidence that speechreading (lipreading) is one of the predictors of reading in deaf children.  UCL have been investigating some of the strategies that young deaf children (5-7 year olds) are using during speechreading and reading. 

Researcher Lizzie Worcester summarises the impact of the eyetracker so far:

'We have taken the eyetracker to schools across England to assess whether better speechreaders look longer at the mouth than poorer speechreaders.  We are also looking to see whether these children look more at pictures that share sounds/letters with a target word during reading than an unrelated picture. Using eyetracking with young deaf children allows greater insight into the processes underlying reading than solely relying on overt behavioural measures. A positive correlation between speechreading skill and time spent looking at the mouth would suggest that looking at the mouth is an advantageous strategy for accessing speech. '

DanioVision used to investigate the impact of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles on fish development and behaviour

DanioVision is being used by by researchers at the University of Brighton to investigate the possible effects of environmental titanium dioxide and zince oxide nanaparticles on fish development and behaviour. These compounds are found in skin care products.

The team said:

“There are suspicions that environmental levels of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles found in skin care products affect fish development and behaviour and this grant from the Royal Society will help us to determine if this is the case'

More infomation can be found here

Caroline Norbury joins the Tracksys Team

Tracksys has a new member of staff! Caroline has a background in animal and human science, as well as business and customer support experience. Caroline has also provided pastoral and academic help to students. With such a wide range of skills we expect Caroline to make an immediate impact for us.

Caroline is joining us in August 2016, and is keen to aid customers with their behavioural research needs. She can be contacted at caroline@tracksys.co.uk