Leyenes: A gaze-based text entry method using linear smooth pursuit and target speed

Gaze-based writing is one of the most widespread eye tracking applications for human–computer interaction. While eye tracking communication has traditionally been employed as an assistive technology, declining prices of eye trackers now make it a feasible alternative to keyboards or touchscreens in many contexts (for example, the interaction with public info points). In this paper we propose Leyenes, a text entry method based on smooth pursuit, a natural eye movement that occurs when the gaze follows a moving target. Our approach requires no explicit calibration by the user, allowing for more spontaneous interaction and enabling eye input even when calibration is difficult to achieve or maintain. To the best of our knowledge, Leyenes is the first text entry technique based on smooth pursuit that considers both (approximate) gaze speed and position and employs a linear interface instead of the more common circular layouts. The results of the user study we conducted show that the proposed solution is slow but robust, with a very low error rate, which makes it particularly suitable for extemporaneous writing of short text.