Remote Point-of-Gaze Estimation Requiring a Single-Point Calibration for Applications with Infants

This paper describes a method for remote, non-contact point-of-gaze estimation that tolerates free head movements and requires a simple calibration procedure in which the subject has to fixate only oil a single point. This method uses the centers of the pupil and at least two corneal reflections that are estimated from eye images captured by at least two cameras. Experimental results obtained with three adult subjects exhibited RMS point-of-gaze estimation errors ranging from 7 to 12 mm (equivalent to about 0.6 - 1 degrees of visual angle) for head movements in a volume of about 1 dm(3). Preliminary results with two infants demonstrated the ability of a system that requires it single-point calibration procedure to estimate infants' point-of-gaze. The ability to record infants visual scanning behavior can be used for the study of visual development, the determination of attention allocation and the assessment of visual function in preverbal infants.