At the annual Imec Technology Forum (ITF) held May 23 in Antwerp, Imec unveiled a new wireless technology for fast eye-tracking based on electro-oculography (EOG), a standard technique used by ophthalmologists to examine and record eye movements. The new technology can be embedded into standard eyeglasses to greatly improve augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) experiences, as well as to be used in clinical research on neurodegenerative diseases.
Source: Imec
Imec technology makes use of five dry-contact polymer electrodes mounted on eyeglasses developed by the Datwyler Group, based in Altdorf, Switzerland, to detect and record the movement of the eyes. This novel approach is less expensive and more compact than standard AR/VR headsets.
With Imec’s EOG technology a data rate of 256 samples per second can be accomplished which is more than twice the sampling rate of standard cameras used to detect eye position. In addition, Imec’s system is based on Bluetooth wireless technology making it energy efficient requiring only one small battery.
This technology can also be used for clinical research on the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer's disease. It is a well known scientific fact that eye movements are affected by these diseases.
“The EOG glasses represent just one of many wearable devices that have come from Imec research,” says Alessio Meroni, project leader at Imec in Holst Centre (the Netherlands). “Our constant mission is to leverage our semiconductor technology expertise to deliver innovative devices that can be worn as easily as the eyeglasses announced today. With our collaborative R&D model, we accomplish outstanding results in AR/VR, innovative healthcare and lifestyle technologies. We invite companies in the medical field to join our efforts to turn this technology into a valuable diagnostic tool.”
