14 DAY TRIAL // Eye-Tracking technology hasn't been used much outside augmented reality headsets, despite how crazy the public was going about it a while ago, but that stands to change soon, if SteelSeries has its way.
Well, maybe not. SteelSeries is just one company, and on the gaming scene, it's not really such a big name either. Not that hardware makers can be that magnificent on this stage, given how many they are. Besides, the ones actually designing the games will always get most of the eulogies.
Despite its relatively normal role in this market, however, SteelSeries has decided to try something new for a change. Something it thinks could finally bridge the gap between theoretical eye-tracking-based computing, and practical applications.
Enter the Sentry Eye Tracker, a virtual, visual coach that uses a small, bar-like object to constantly check where you're aiming your eyes. The device is meant to be installed on the bottom edge of your monitor.
So what's the role of the SteelSeries Sentry Eye Tracker, you may ask. Eventually, it could be to let you fire laser beams while you're “impersonating” Superman in a video game.
For now, though, the Sentry (co-developed with Tobii Technology) will be used mostly for benchmarks and analysis of how our eyes roam across the virtual field of view depicted by our monitors, or TVs or whatever.
Players will be able to use the information recorded by the device, or the software that accompanies the device, to improve their gaming performance.
The Sentry counts things, you see, like Fixations per Minute (FPM How often the your gaze moves across the screen). The lower the number, the better you are at processing large chunks of information (you can take things in “at a glance” as it were).
Buyers can compare their stats to those of professional, top-performing gamers, and set goals for themselves. Even get an idea of how well they'd do in a tournament, or some such thing.
In the future, SteelSeries and Tobii will bring out a system that will let you control games with eye movement, as we have said before. Other companies might join in on the fun, like gaming platform provider Overwolf (will give Sentry users access to social media channels and web via their overlay application).
Sadly, an exact ETA (estimated time of arrival) and price for the SteelSeries Sentry Eye Tracker have not been disclosed. We only know that the product will debut later this year.