Synchronizing eye tracking and optical motion capture: How to bring them together.

Area of Science:

• Human sciences
• Behavioral research
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Eye tracking and motion capture are vital human science tools, often used independently.
• Simultaneous measurement of eye and body movements offers significant potential for studying crossmodal interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To combine head-mounted eye tracking with optical motion capture for synchronized recordings.
• To develop a generalizable, cost-effective synchronization solution for these technologies.

Main Methods:

• Integrated an Ergoneers Dikablis eye tracker with a Qualisys Oqus motion capture system.
• Developed a novel synchronization method using a participant's head nod motion.
• Utilized a peak-picking algorithm to detect vertical displacement for data alignment.

Main Results:

• Achieved accurate synchronization between eye tracking and motion capture data.
• The developed method is a viable, non-proprietary alternative to expensive synchronization solutions.
• Demonstrated reliable alignment of mocap and eye data with clean datasets.

Conclusions:

• The novel synchronization technique provides an accessible and effective way to combine eye and body movement data.
• This approach facilitates deeper investigation into crossmodal interactions in human behavior.
• Offers a valuable solution for researchers lacking ready-made synchronization tools.