Guiding Attention in Controlled Real-World Environments

The ability to direct a viewer\u27s attention has important applications in computer graphics, data visualization, image analysis, and training. Existing computer-based gaze manipulation techniques, which direct a viewer\u27s attention about a display, have been shown to be effective for spatial learning, search task completion, and medical training applications. This work extends the concept of gaze manipulation beyond digital imagery to include controlled, real-world environments. This work addresses the main challenges in guiding attention to real-world objects: determining what object the viewer is currently paying attention to, and providing (projecting) a visual cue on a different part of the scene in order to draw the viewer\u27s attention there. The developed system consists of a pair of eye-tracking glasses to determine the viewer\u27s gaze location, and a projector to create the visual cue in the physical environment. The results of a user study show that the system is effective for directing a viewer\u27s gaze in the real-world. The successful implementation has applicability in a wide range of instructional environments, including pilot training and driving simulators