Process control via gaze detection technology

Abstract

Gaze detection technology (GDT) is considered to be of potential benefit to automate certain materials processing research tasks and enable more remote control of manufacturing processes. Gaze detection is defined as the ability to assess a human user's direction of view and/or a position focus on a computer monitor screen via computer vision techniques. The research reported evaluates the suitability of gaze detection technology in the remote control of a computer via a monitor screen and a gaze detection system. A GDT system is discussed which is capable of determining if a user is focusing on a particular spot of interest on the monitor. If not, the GDT system will attract the use's attention to that spot (again, coupling gaze control to a program for generating an audible or visual signal) and direct the user's attention to the spot of interest. An example use of this capability might be to gaze control the temporal display of a particular parameter which contains current parameter values only, or highlight particular variables associated with a detected fault or unusual process condition.