GazeRecorder vs OpenGazer

GazeRecorder uses a webcam to track eye movement and create video recordings for remote UX research on desktop and mobile. Its online service can test live websites, images, screenshots, mockups, pictures, videos and apps. The maker says it can show where participants look and for how long in real time. GazeFlow generates heatmaps over webpages, applications, static images or videos, and can combine data from multiple subjects. Desktop features include real-time webcam tracking, one-click experiment creation and dynamic heatmaps. The desktop version requires a webcam, but specialized hardware is not required; smartphone tracking uses the selfie camera. Visualizations include heatmaps, gaze paths, fixation metrics and areas of interest, with video recordings and session data available for export. The maker says respondent-level eye and click data can be provided along with aggregated sample data. The free desktop version is for non-commercial use. The FAQ gives approximate GazeCloud API accuracy of 1.0 degree and precision of 0.2 degree of visual angle. Listed platforms include web, Windows, iOS, Android and API.

OpenGazer is a Linux application that uses an ordinary webcam to estimate gaze direction and send it to other programs. It also tracks head position and rotation, and displays the estimated gaze point, head-rotation lines, and calibration target. Setup calls for a camera at 640×480, placed centrally below the monitor. Users calibrate by looking at indicated screen points while keeping their head still, then choose facial tracking points; the project calls for at least four and recommends seven or eight. Gaze estimates appear on screen, print to standard output, and are sent through a local UDP socket on port 20230. Dasher is an example of software that can use the gaze direction for writing with the eyes. OpenGazer is free under GPLv2 and uses the X Window System interface. It is marked Alpha, with a last update listed as 2013-04-24. Building it requires VXL, OpenCV, gtkmm, cairomm, and Boost.