I have been thinking about the idea of using an eye tracking device as a source of data for computational neuroscience experiments. This first started as a simple hobby idea for the On Capturing Personal Data experiments and as a way to improve my code and text editingFaster code editors, ep06 - Eye tracking. However, after looking at David Jangraw’s publications, I noticed that eye tracking was actually quite a notable field in neuroscience. So I thought I might as well get into it myself.
I would likely do this by purchasing the Tobii Eye Tracker 5, which is a consumer-grade eye tracker that is relatively affordable and has good software support. I would then set it up to track my eye movements while I work on my computer, and collect the data for analysis.
More affordable alternative to the Ultracortex “Mark IV” EEG Headset EEG device that I have been looking at (Exploring Personal EEG Solutions). I do hope to eventually get that as my equipment, which would provide even more cross-correlational data with the eye tracking. However, that is a lot more expensive at around $600 just for the base parts, not including the sensors you need from AliExpress. But a good starting point nonetheless.
Use in Neuroscience
Eye tracking has been used in a variety of neuroscience experiments to understand how the brain processes visual information, attention, and cognitive load. By tracking where a person looks, researchers can infer what information is being processed and how the brain allocates resources. This can be particularly useful in studies of perception, memory, and decision-making.
For my own work, it would correlate quite well with ActivityWatch data, but also the data from this obsidian vault. I could analyze how my eye movements change during different tasks, such as coding, writing, or reading. This could provide insights into my cognitive processes and help me optimize my workflow.