Autocalibration-based partioning relationship and parallax relation for head-mounted eye trackers

This paper presents new methods to calibrate a head-mounted Eye Tracker (ET) automatically, as well as a new way to obtain an estimated point of regard (POR), taking account of the parallax. Calibration is performed in real time; it is easy for the user who just needs to look at one calibration pattern for a few seconds before starting. This method provides a very important couple of points which helps to use a local relationship to compute the POR instead of a global one. This approach significantly improves the precision of the points of regard when the scene camera is mounted with a short focal lens. An estimation of POR when the user looks somewhere outside the calibration distance is also proposed. This estimation is based on an ET modelling such as a stereovision system, to take account of the parallax effect. The aim of this study is to simplify the use of ET techniques for “non-initiated” people, especially here learner drivers.