Finger Lakes Today

Cornell University researchers have developed a groundbreaking technology that allows for tracking gaze and facial expressions without the need for cameras. The innovative system, known as GazeTrak and EyeEcho, uses sound-based techniques to monitor eye movements and facial expressions.

“In a VR environment, you want to recreate detailed facial expressions and gaze movements so that you can have better interactions with other users,” stated Ke Li, a doctoral student who led the development of GazeTrak and EyeEcho.

The technology, as explained by Cornell assistant professor Cheng Zhang, is both compact and energy-efficient, making it a promising addition to future wearable devices. GazeTrack employs a single speaker and four microphones positioned around each eye frame to bounce sound off the eyeball and capture echoes, while EyeEcho utilizes one speaker and one microphone per side to detect facial expressions.

Cornell University highlighted the practical applications of this innovation, stating, “With this technology, users can have hands-free video calls through an avatar, even in a noisy café or on the street.” Furthermore, the technology could potentially be integrated into future smart glasses or VR headsets for enhanced user experiences.

The article notes that the current prototypes are capable of operating for several hours on a smart glasses battery or a full day on a VR headset battery. With ongoing developments, the efficiency and performance of these technologies are expected to improve in the future.