14 DAY TRIAL // Motions tracking didn't really do much for the gaming industry, since Kinect doesn't exactly let you do more than flail your limbs while stationary. So, one would think that eye-tracking-based games would be an even harder sell. Tobii doesn't mind the challenge, though.
Tobii Technology is a world-class specialist in eye-tracking technology, which kind of implies, inherently, that it would go for eye tracking-based games sooner or later.
It has to first wriggle its way into the good graces of actual gamers though, which is why it has made a partnership with long-time gaming peripheral maker SteelSeries.
Said partnership led to the creation of the first mass-market eye-tracking peripheral device, or rather the development kit for one.
Called Tobii EyeX Developer Kit, it enabled you to affect your in-game character's behavior through eye contact.
So if you're shy, your character won't meet the eyes of other, and if you stare at someone too long they might become upset, or see you as a threat.
So, say you're playing an RPG and stumble over a big, bad bear. If you stare at it in the eyes too long, it will probably charge and try to hack you to death.
No games like this exist yet, of course, but Tobii, with SteelSeries help, wants to convince developers that they are worth creating.
No wonder the Tobii EyeX Developer Kit only costs $95 / €95. The company is lobbing to provide as much incentive as possible.
Games featuring support for eye tracking should let you aim your gaze at any point (first-person shooters are bound to jump all over this), let the character move more naturally, like in real life, reveal your intentions in games like FIFA (you select the player you want to control or pass to by looking at him) etc.
Tobii and SteelSeries will showcase the device at CES 2014, in Las Vegas, Nevada, from January 7 to January 10.