Improving search task performance using subtle gaze direction

ABSTRACT

A new experiment is presented which demonstrates the usefulness of an image space modulation technique called Subtle Gaze Direction (SGD) for guiding the user in a simple searching task. SGD uses image space modulations in the luminance channel to guide a viewer's gaze about a scene without interrupting their visual experience. The goal of SGD is to direct a viewer's gaze to certain regions of a scene without introducing noticeable changes in the image. Using a simple searching task we compared performance using no modulation, using subtle modulation and using obvious modulation. Results from the experiments show improved performance when using subtle gaze direction, without affecting the user's perception of the image. Results establish the potential of the method for a wide range of applications including gaming, perceptually based rendering, navigation in virtual environments and medical search tasks.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.3 Picture/Image Generation
          Subjects: Display algorithms

Keywords:
eye-tracking, gaze direction, luminance, psychophysics