Eye and hand-tracking technologies are fundamental to most extended reality solutions today. All of the latest extended reality headsets, from the revolutionary Apple Vision Pro to the Meta Quest 3, leverage some form of “tracking” technology.
As more companies and users embrace extended reality, vendors are increasingly searching for ways to make their technologies more user-friendly, immersive, and accessible.
Eye and hand-tracking technologies can create new types of spatial computing experiences and transform how we interact with virtual content.
The eye tracking market is set to reach a value of $8,407 million by 2030 on its own. The gesture recognition market is accelerating towards a value of $169.26 billion by 2032.
The question is, how do you choose the right eye and hand-tracking tech for your needs?
Step 1: Identifying your Eye and Hand Tracking Goals
The first step in choosing the right technology in any environment is identifying your goal. There are numerous cases of use for eye and hand-tracking technology.
Aside from simply improving user experiences with the power of spatial computing, these technologies can reduce VR sickness and improve XR accessibility. For instance, eye tracking tech can automatically adapt an XR device to a user’s precise vision needs and allow them to navigate content using their gaze rather than a clunky controller.
Eye and hand-tracking solutions can enable exceptional customer experiences by allowing companies to track a customer’s movements in real time and guide them through a troubleshooting process or onboarding journey. Plus, these technologies can enhance security with biometric scanning capabilities. You can even use eye and hand-tracking solutions to improve the performance of XR headsets with foveated rendering.
Foveated rendering can reduce the computational power required to load complex environments. It focuses on generating images based on a user’s gaze rather than loading entire landscapes simultaneously. Identify what you want to accomplish before you start searching for solutions.
Step 2: Explore the Latest Technology
Eye and hand-tracking technologies have become more advanced in recent years. Innovators like Ultraleap, for instance, are constantly introducing more advanced, AI-powered software that can track even the smallest movement in a hand, from the twitch of a finger to the position of your palm.
Some companies are experimenting with a combination of hand-tracking solutions and haptic technologies, creating multi-sensory user experiences. A haptic glove that monitors a hand-tracking system’s data can deliver ultra-realistic sensations to a user in real-time. These accessories make users feel like they’re touching or interacting with a physical object.
In the eye-tracking landscape, companies constantly experiment with new ways to capture nuances in gaze. PCCR, or Pupil Center Corneal Reflection, is a common option. It’s even used by devices like the Apple Vision Pro. However, some innovators are also experimenting with EMG sensors. They combine gaze data with brain waves for more accurate, realistic experiences.
Step 3: Consider Your Eye and Hand Tracking Tech Options
Building a truly immersive experience with hand—and eye-tracking technologies often requires companies to invest in a combination of hardware and software. Most headsets today come with basic gesture tracking capabilities already built in.
However, some vendors offer SDKs and tools that allow you to infuse your existing software with eye and hand-tracking capabilities, provided you have the right sensors and base stations.
Some companies even allow organizations to choose hand and eye-tracking technologies in the ideal headset. For instance, Somnium Space offers a range of headsets that can be customized to suit different user needs.
Sensor systems might be necessary for more advanced hand, eye, and motion tracking. They can allow AI systems to capture real-time data about a person’s movements.
Step 4: Know your Ideal Type of Extended Reality
Aside from looking at different options for eye and hand-tracking tech, it’s also worth considering the type of extended reality you want to leverage. VR experiences are ideal for training and ultra-immersive situations. At the same time, AR and mixed reality are fantastic for collaboration and customer service when teams need to maintain a connection to the physical world.
Your decision to invest in mixed, augmented, or virtual reality will ultimately impact the type of hand-tracking and eye-tracking solutions you can access. Remember, some solutions, like those from Tobii, Varjo, or Ultraleap may only work with certain hardware.
However, some solutions, like the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3, allow users to navigate between virtual and mixed reality.
Step 5: Prioritize Flexible, Customizable Experiences
A major benefit of XR tracking technology is that it can significantly improve user experiences. However, the experience you’ll get from your technology will vary depending on your chosen solution.
Some vendors in the XR landscape offer comprehensive all-in-one systems, with all of the required tracking tools already built into the headset. Others require companies to implement and install various sensors and components.
If you’re choosing an all-in-one solution, it’s worth making sure the headset you select is designed with comfort in mind. High-quality, lightweight, and ergonomic headsets that can adapt to a user’s specific needs for things like IPD (Inter-pupillary distance), are more likely to deliver excellent results.
If you’re building hand and eye tracking into an existing system, you need a developer kit that’s convenient, intuitive, and highly customizable.
Step 6: Be Ready to Evolve
Finally, it’s important to remember that the extended reality space and hand and eye tracking technologies are constantly evolving. Vendors like Meta, Apple, Varjo, and others are constantly exploring new ways to enhance tracking systems and spatial computing capabilities.
Even after you invest in XR devices for your team, it’s worth exploring new opportunities as they arise. This could mean investing in new accessories like haptic body suits, gloves, or VR shoes. Or it could mean experimenting with new software and AI systems.
Gathering data from your users’ experiences with XR tracking technologies will help you identify areas for adaptation and improvement in the years to come.
Choose the Right Eye and Hand Tracking Tech
Eye and hand-tracking tech play an important role in today’s immersive experiences. This technology will only evolve as vendors upgrade their hardware and software. We’ll see companies leveraging more advanced tracking mechanisms, AI, and spatial computing capabilities.
Ensuring you invest in flexible solutions to address your specific use cases will help you stay one step ahead in the evolving XR space.
