A
Accuracy
Accuracy in eye tracking refers to how closely the system's gaze estimations match the user’s actual eye positions. A high level of accuracy means the system can reliably track eye movements, ensuring the data is valid and useful for research and analysis.
In case of RealEye, the accuracy on Desktops and Laptops is 106 pixels on average, while on Smartphones it is 56 pixels. You can learn more about the accuracy validation method in our White Paper.
Area Of Interest (AOI)
Area of Interest (AOI) refers to specific regions within a visual scene that researchers define to focus on elements like buttons, images, or text. Eye-tracking metrics (e.g., Time to First Fixation, Average Fixation Duration, Participant Ratio) are calculated for these defined AOIs in the RealEye Analytics Dashboard to analyze user interaction and behavior.
C
Calibration
Calibration is the process of aligning the recorded eye movements with specific points on a screen. During Calibration, the participant is asked to focus on predefined targets, allowing the system to map eye positions to screen locations. This process corrects errors and improves tracking accuracy, compensating for factors like individual eye anatomy or head movement. Proper calibration is essential for reliable and precise eye-tracking data in various applications, such as research, usability testing, and interactive technologies.
Before each study within RealEye, a 39-point calibration is performed on Computer devices (desktops, laptops), and a 27-point calibration is performed on Smartphones.
Central Fixation Bias
The Central Fixation Bias refers to the tendency of observers to initially fixate near the center of a visual scene. This bias can influence the interpretation of eye-tracking data, especially in tasks involving scene viewing or visual search. To account for this bias, in the RealEye Analytics Dashboard, the stimulus time-slider is set to start from 500 ms - which ensures that the analysis focuses on gaze patterns beyond the initial central fixation.
F
Fixation
A Fixation is a series of Gaze points that are closely clustered in time and space, where the user's gaze stays long enough (typically around 200-300 milliseconds) to allow them to focus and process visual information. To determine whether a set of gaze points qualifies as a fixation, specific [Fixation Filter] parameters must be defined. Fixations are critical for understanding attention and the cognitive processing of visual stimuli.
G
Gaze (point)
Gaze (point) refers to the specific location where a person is looking at any given moment, represented as a "raw" sample in eye-tracking data. In webcam-based eye-tracking systems, the sampling rate is typically around 30Hz, meaning you’ll receive about 30 gaze points per second.
H
Heatmap
A graphical representation of fixation/gaze data that shows which areas of a stimulus received the most visual attention. In a heatmap, areas with higher attention are depicted in warmer colors, such as red or orange, while less attended areas are represented in cooler colors like blue or green. Heatmaps are commonly used in usability testing to assess how users interact with websites, advertisements, or product designs.
R
(ET) Recording
An eye-tracking (ET) Recording is a video that shows how a participant’s eyes move over items during a test. In the video, a moving circle indicates the gaze point, representing where the participant was looking at any given moment. This visualization continues throughout the test, allowing researchers to track eye movements in real-time and analyze focus areas and patterns. Learn more about Recordings here: ET Recordings.
S
Saccade
A rapid movement of the eye between fixations. Saccades occur when the eye shifts from one focal point to another. These movements are essential for scanning the environment and gathering visual information. Saccades can be voluntary (when a person chooses to shift their gaze) or involuntary (when the eyes move reflexively).
💌 If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to our team at contact@realeye.io