It seems virtual reality is once again an up and coming trend. I think most of you who saw the whole virtual reality movement back in the early ’90s remember how everyone was talking about it, but nothing really stuck. There were a few devices released, but they were too bulky and too low quality to grab the interest of customers. Now it seems another wave of these devices will hit the market. One of the most advanced ones is a pair of 3D glasses with full eye tracking capabilities.
Game developers have suddenly become quite excited about 3D glasses with virtual reality support. It’s a way to enhance gameplay now that graphics are almost photorealistic. A company named SenseMotoric Instruments (SMI) recently announced their new groundbreaking 3D glasses, and they have some features on them that could turn gaming on its head. The eye tracking feature incorporated into these 3D glasses will make virtual reality a whole new experience. It’s a powerful software that will know where you are looking, and as a result, they could incorporate depth of field in a whole new way.
Dubbed ActiveEye technology, this system combines mobile eye tracking with a realistic 3D user experience that will collect more data from the user’s interaction with the computer. Furthermore, the eye tracking glasses incorporate every movement sensor technology available. These virtual reality eye tracking glasses are worn like a normal pair of glasses. Eye tracking is accomplished with two small cameras on the rim of the glasses while a scene camera records the field of view of the user.
What impact this technology will have on gaming is for now unclear. However, what can be derived from this announcement is that 3D glasses with this eye tracking capability will come to allow for a whole new experience for the user. It’s an experience that may come to impact the gaming industry in a profound way. It’s always up to the consumers to decide whether it is a good idea or not. From a design standpoint, I don’t know if these will put off customers rather than appeal to them. Once again, that is up to you, the consumers.
SMI’s Virtual Reality Eye Tracking Glasses
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