We constantly use eye movements to explore the world. Yet, when we want to act upon the world, we must instead use our hands: we cannot turn on a light by simply staring at a switch. Or… can we? Current eye-tracking technologies make already possible to control computers, play games, and even drive cars using only our eyes. While this trend is likely to steadily increase in the next future, no scientific study has yet investigated whether actions performed with the eyes produce the same sense of agency and responsibility as ordinary hand movements. Given that humans did not evolve with the ability to perform gaze-mediated actions, can we really count on “acting with the eyes” as we do with our hands?
Some links to the latest developments in eye-tracking and gaze-contingent paradigms
− Driving a car using your eyes.
− The future of computing with eye tracking.
− The World’s First Eye-Controlled Wheelchair.
− Eye tracking technology in virtual reality.