Tracking the movements of a person’s eyes has all sorts of potential applications. It can be the basis for a user interface, such as for adaptive applications where a person might not be able to use their hands. It can be used to detect what people find to be interesting, which is valuable for marketers and retailing. But how your eyes move can also provide information about your health. We’ve covered other products intended to help detect concussions and other trauma from head impacts.
RightEye makes an eye-tracking platform for use by healthcare professionals for a variety of applications. The basic device is a large tablet that incorporates cameras to track eye movement. It gathers data about both left and right eye motion, and is fast enough — 30 to 250 times per second — to track saccades, the tiny movements that we aren’t aware of.
The company has a variety of test suites, from assessing brain health to reading skills. It can even be used to evaluate the vision of athletes. The comprehensive test results yield quantified information that can be used to make informed decisions. For example, the Brain Health EyeQ tests can reveal insights into brain function such as neurological problems. And the EyeQ Trainer can help improve vision through a series of exercises. The company characterizes it as “physical therapy for the eyes.” Patients get personalized programs that require just 10 minutes a day, achieving results in a few weeks.
Eye tracking technology provides quantitative, objective results that can be more useful than the traditional subjective tests used by many healthcare professionals. It’s one more example of how digital technology is transforming healthcare.
