Manual and gaze input cascaded (MAGIC) pointing

ABSTRACT

This work explores a new direction in utilizing eye gaze for computer input. Gaze tracking has long been considered as an alternative or potentially superior pointing method for computer input. We believe that many fundamental limitations exist with traditional gaze pointing. In particular, it is unnatural to overload a perceptual channel such as vision with a motor control task. We therefore propose an alternative approach, dubbed MAGIC (Manual And Gaze Input Cascaded) pointing. With such an approach, pointing appears to the user to be a manual task, used for fine manipulation and selection. However, a large portion of the cursor movement is eliminated by warping the cursor to the eye gaze area, which encompasses the target. Two specific MAGIC pointing techniques, one conservative and one liberal, were designed, analyzed, and implemented with an eye tracker we developed. They were then tested in a pilot study. This early- stage exploration showed that the MAGIC pointing techniques might offer many advantages, including reduced physical effort and fatigue as compared to traditional manual pointing, greater accuracy and naturalness than traditional gaze pointing, and possibly faster speed than manual pointing. The pros and cons of the two techniques are discussed in light of both performance data and subjective reports.

REFERENCES

• 1: Levine, J.L., An Eye-Controlled Computer,. 1981, IBM TJ Watson Research Center: Yorktown Heights, New York.
• 2: Richard A. Bolt, Eyes at the interface, Proceedings of the 1982 conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.360-362, March 15-17, 1982, Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States [doi>10.1145/800049.801811]
• 3: Colin Ware , Harutune H. Mikaelian, An evaluation of an eye tracker as a device for computer input2, Proceedings of the SIGCHI/GI conference on Human factors in computing systems and graphics interface, p.183-188, April 05-09, 1987, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 4: Robert J. K. Jacob, What you look at is what you get: eye movement-based interaction techniques, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: Empowering people, p.11-18, April 01-05, 1990, Seattle, Washington, United States [doi>10.1145/97243.97246]
• 5: Joch, A., What Pupils Teach Computers. Byte, 1996(July): p. 99-100.
• 6: Robert J. K. Jacob, The use of eye movements in human-computer interaction techniques: what you look at is what you get, ACM Transactions on Information Systems (TOIS), v.9 n.2, p.152-169, April 1991 [doi>10.1145/123078.128728]
• 7: Jacob, R.J.K., Eye Movement-Based Human-Computer Interaction Techniques: Toward Non-Command Interfaces, in Advances in Human-Computer Interaction, H.R. Hartson and D. Hix, Editors. 1993, Ablex Publishing Co.," Norwood, N.J.p. 151-190.
• 8: Fitts, P.M., The information capacity of the human motor system in controlling the amplitude of movement. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1954.47: p. 381-391.
• 9: Silbert, L. and R. Jacob, The Advantage of Eye Gaze Interaction,. 1996: Unpublished manuscript.
• 10: Morimoto, C., et al., Pupil detection and tracking using multiple light sources, . 1998, IBM Almaden Research Center: San Jose.
• 11: Young, L. and D. Sheena, Methods & designs: Survey of eye movement recording methods. Behavioral Research Methods & Instrumentation, 1975.7(5): p. 397--429.
• 12: Hutchinson, T.E., et al., Human-computer interaction using eye-gaze input. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 1989.19(Nov.Dec): p. 1527--1533.
• 13: Tomono, A., I. Muneo, and Y. Kobayashi. A TV camera system which extracts feature points for non-contact eye movement detection, iSPIE vol. 1194. Optics, Illumination, and lmage Sensing for Machine Vision IV. 1989.
• 14: Ebisawa, Y. and S. Satoh. Effectiveness of pupil area detection technique using two light sources and image difference method. 15th Annual lnt. Conf. of the 1EEE Eng. in Medicine and Biology Society. 1993. San Diego, CA.
• 15: MacKenzie, I.S., Fitts' law as a research and design tool in human computer interaction. Human Computer Interaction, 1992.7: p. 91-139.
• 16: I. Scott MacKenzie , Abigail Sellen , William A. S. Buxton, A comparison of input devices in element pointing and dragging tasks, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: Reaching through technology, p.161-166, April 27-May 02, 1991, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States [doi>10.1145/108844.108868]

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)
          Subjects: Input devices and strategies (e.g., mouse, touchscreen)

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems
          Subjects: Human factors

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors, Theory

Keywords:
Fitts'law, computer input, computer vision, eye, eye tracking, gaze, gaze tracking, multi-modal interface, pointing