Work

Spatial-chromatic encoding cosmetic contact lenses for enhanced natural eye tracking

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Vision-based analysis of ocular features represents the predominant approach for eye tracking. However, these features are highly susceptible to interference from illumination, eyelid/eyelash occlusion, and individual variations, leading to low recognition rates and diminished tracking accuracy. To address these limitations, eye movement feature enhanced cosmetic contact lenses are proposed, implementing a spatial-chromatic encoding strategy. Employing a head-mounted eye tracker integrated with RGB cameras, this system enables accurate and robust gaze tracking in natural environments. Under challenging illumination, the lenses achieve a 93% feature recognition rate, significantly surpassing pupil recognition and tolerating highly off-axis camera placement. Eye movement model and human eye tracking demonstrate superior accuracy (<1°), gaze direction estimation, and continuous fixation positioning. Utilizing these lenses, diverse eye-tracking applications are demonstrated, including image identification, reading analysis, and outdoor interaction. This approach advances the development of lightweight, unobtrusive eye-tracking systems and facilitates broader application of gaze-based interaction technology in real-world settings. Eye tracking relies on ocular features, that are susceptible to interference from light and individual variations. Here, Zhu et. al. present eye movement feature enhanced cosmetic contact lenses, enabling accurate, natural, and homogenized eye tracking.

Source: Nature Communications

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-68918-y