Let’s get it started: Eye tracking in VR with the Pupil Labs eye tracking add-on for the HTC Vive

Authors

  • Judith Josupeit Technische Universität Dresden

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.16910/jemr.15.3.10

Keywords:

Eye movement, eye tracking, virtual reality, HMD, HTC Vive, Pupil Labs, Unity, good practice

Abstract

Combining eye tracking and virtual reality (VR) is a promising approach to tackle various applied research questions. As this approach is relatively new, routines are not established yet and the first steps can be full of potential pitfalls. The present paper gives a practice example to lower the boundaries for getting started. More specifically, I focus on an affordable add-on technology, the Pupil Labs eye tracking add-on for the HTC Vive. As add-on technology with all relevant source code available on GitHub, a high degree of freedom in preprocessing, visualizing, and analyzing eye tracking data in VR can be achieved. At the same time, some extra preparatory steps for the setup of hardware and software are necessary. Therefore, specifics of eye tracking in VR from unboxing, software integration, and procedures to analyzing the data and maintaining the hardware will be addressed. The Pupil Labs eye tracking add-on for the HTC Vive represents a highly transparent approach to existing alternatives. Characteristics of eye tracking in VR in contrast to other head-mounded and remote eye trackers applied in the physical world will be discussed. In conclusion, the paper contributes to the idea of open science in two ways: First, by making the necessary routines transparent and therefore reproducible. Second, by stressing the benefits of using open source software.

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Additional Files

Published

2023-06-19

Issue

Section

Special thematic issue " Virtual Reality & Eye Tracking"

How to Cite

Let’s get it started: Eye tracking in VR with the Pupil Labs eye tracking add-on for the HTC Vive. (2023). Journal of Eye Movement Research, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.16910/jemr.15.3.10