Development of a user evaluation system in virtual reality based on eye-tracking technology

This study proposes a user evaluation system based on a game engine, in which a user can measure their area or object of interest using an eye-tracking device. Eye tracking technology, which is widely used in various sectors such as human-computer interaction, user experience, and marketing research, measures the intentions of a human gazing on a part of their interest. However, creating a real-world test environment and model for user evaluation requires considerable time and money. Therefore, studies on user evaluation tests using virtual reality (VR) are being actively conducted. The VR user evaluation system based on the eye-tracking device proposed in this study was studied and developed using the unity game engine and an HTC VIVE Pro eye, in which an eye-tracking device was built in the head-mounted display. To make it appropriate for a VR environment, an eye-tracking algorithm was developed, and object- and surface-based eye-tracking and visualization technologies were applied. Moreover, the algorithm was developed to support component-based programming, so that an investigator can easily establish a test environment.