The "Eyebox" -Advertising that “Watches” You

A new invention known as eyebox2™, was just unveiled at Google’s corporate headquarters. The portable device tracks human eye movement and will tell advertisers just how many people looked at the advertisement. The new invention uses a camera that monitors eye movements in real time and automatically detects when you are looking at it from up to 10 meters away. “This camera mimics eye contact perception in humans, allowing us to pinpoint quite accurately what plasma screen or product shelf people are looking at,” says Dr. Roel Vertegaal, director of the Human Media Laboratory at Queen’s and inventor of the technology. The inventor claims that the surveillance is passive, meaning that it cannot detect the identity of the viewer, but only count the glances. Whether or not the technology could be used for surveillance purposes is not being discussed. However, it's safe to assume that advertisers (and others) would be interested in knowing who’s looking.