Electro-oculometry for humain-system interaction and physiological monitoring in real and virtual environments – ELOCANS

In numerous domains (aeronautics, medical, military, nuclear, command-and-control), visual activity is an essential element of the expertise. Therefor, eye tracking and the study of eye movements are omnipresent in neuroscience, psychology, industrial engineering, human factors, and computer science, to study the operator’s state. In addition to the comprehension of the attentional processes, the voluntary eye movements can be used for human-system interaction. Nevertheless, due to the lack of appropriate software and hardware, the use of the gaze-based interaction in real and virtual environments is for now mostly restricted to the research domain. Nowadays, the most used eye tracking technique is video-based tracking using infrared illumination. However, the tools using this technique present a certain number of disadvantages. Notably, for the head-mounted tools, such systems obstruct the visual field et therefore are not suitable for integration in real operational environnements. An alternative technique consists of measuring the changes in electric potential near the eye. The electro-oculography (EOG) requires only a few electrodes to place on the face and does not obstruct the visual field nor unnecessary illuminates the eyes with the infrared light. This technique is convenient for the head-mounted peripherals such as audio or virtual reality headset.
The projet ELOCANS addresses this lack of software and hardware for gaze-based interaction in operational environments. In numerous activities such as air traffic control or piloting an aircraft, the operators are already equipped with peripherals (typically, headsets). We are looking to optimize the efficiency of these existing peripherals and integrate the EOG. By studying the EOG integration in these control/communication peripherals to enhance the human-system interaction and making possible the psycho-physiological monitoring (based on blink rate, for instance), this projects has numerous possible applications in aeronautics (fighters, helicopters, UAV operation), naval systems, and control-command centers.
We aim to propose an alternative placement for the EOG electrodes that correspond to the available surfaces of the existing peripherals, to develop corresponding signal processing algorithms, to develop the interaction techniques and physiological monitoring algorithms for these devices. During the project, two prototypes will be considered for aeronautical and military domains: 1) an audio headset that integrated the eye tracking for applications in aeronautics and C2, 2) a plug-in for virtual reality headset for applications in industry and consumer marker but also for military training and UAV remote control.