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Enhancing eye tracking for nonhuman primates and other subjects unable to follow instructions : Adaptive calibration and validation of Tobii eye trackers with the Titta toolbox

Niehorster, Diederick C LU orcid ; Whitham, Will ; Lake, Benjamin R ; Schapiro, Steven J ; Andolina, Ian M and Yorzinski, Jessica L (2024) In Behavior Research Methods 57.
Abstract

Accurate eye tracking is crucial for gaze-dependent research, but calibrating eye trackers in subjects who cannot follow instructions, such as human infants and nonhuman primates, presents a challenge. Traditional calibration methods rely on verbal instructions, which are ineffective for these populations. To address this, researchers often use attention-grabbing stimuli in known locations; however, existing software for video-based calibration is often proprietary and inflexible. We introduce an extension to the open-source toolbox Titta-a software package integrating desktop Tobii eye trackers with PsychToolbox experiments-to facilitate custom video-based calibration. This toolbox extension offers a flexible platform for attracting... (More)

Accurate eye tracking is crucial for gaze-dependent research, but calibrating eye trackers in subjects who cannot follow instructions, such as human infants and nonhuman primates, presents a challenge. Traditional calibration methods rely on verbal instructions, which are ineffective for these populations. To address this, researchers often use attention-grabbing stimuli in known locations; however, existing software for video-based calibration is often proprietary and inflexible. We introduce an extension to the open-source toolbox Titta-a software package integrating desktop Tobii eye trackers with PsychToolbox experiments-to facilitate custom video-based calibration. This toolbox extension offers a flexible platform for attracting attention, calibrating using flexible point selection, and validating the calibration. The toolbox has been refined through extensive use with chimpanzees, baboons, and macaques, demonstrating its effectiveness across species. Our adaptive calibration and validation procedures provide a standardized method for achieving more accurate gaze tracking, enhancing gaze accuracy across diverse species.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Animals, Eye-Tracking Technology, Calibration, Software, Eye Movements/physiology, Fixation, Ocular/physiology, Attention/physiology, Papio/physiology, Pan troglodytes/physiology, Primates/physiology, Macaca/physiology, Male, Humans
in
Behavior Research Methods
volume
57
article number
4
pages
11 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85211338787
  • pmid:39633233
ISSN
1554-3528
DOI
10.3758/s13428-024-02540-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© 2024. The Author(s).
id
3a711721-0602-4b0b-929f-724ca6f1595a
date added to LUP
2024-12-08 12:23:09
date last changed
2025-06-29 15:47:29
@article{3a711721-0602-4b0b-929f-724ca6f1595a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Accurate eye tracking is crucial for gaze-dependent research, but calibrating eye trackers in subjects who cannot follow instructions, such as human infants and nonhuman primates, presents a challenge. Traditional calibration methods rely on verbal instructions, which are ineffective for these populations. To address this, researchers often use attention-grabbing stimuli in known locations; however, existing software for video-based calibration is often proprietary and inflexible. We introduce an extension to the open-source toolbox Titta-a software package integrating desktop Tobii eye trackers with PsychToolbox experiments-to facilitate custom video-based calibration. This toolbox extension offers a flexible platform for attracting attention, calibrating using flexible point selection, and validating the calibration. The toolbox has been refined through extensive use with chimpanzees, baboons, and macaques, demonstrating its effectiveness across species. Our adaptive calibration and validation procedures provide a standardized method for achieving more accurate gaze tracking, enhancing gaze accuracy across diverse species.</p>}},
  author       = {{Niehorster, Diederick C and Whitham, Will and Lake, Benjamin R and Schapiro, Steven J and Andolina, Ian M and Yorzinski, Jessica L}},
  issn         = {{1554-3528}},
  keywords     = {{Animals; Eye-Tracking Technology; Calibration; Software; Eye Movements/physiology; Fixation, Ocular/physiology; Attention/physiology; Papio/physiology; Pan troglodytes/physiology; Primates/physiology; Macaca/physiology; Male; Humans}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Behavior Research Methods}},
  title        = {{Enhancing eye tracking for nonhuman primates and other subjects unable to follow instructions : Adaptive calibration and validation of Tobii eye trackers with the Titta toolbox}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13428-024-02540-y}},
  doi          = {{10.3758/s13428-024-02540-y}},
  volume       = {{57}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}