Serious gamers – and we mean serious gamers – might want to get their hands on new eye-tracking technology unveiled at E3 Monday that’s designed to help them hone their skills and give them the competitive edge over rival players.
Called Sentry, the tech – developed by gaming peripherals maker SteelSeries and eye-tracking specialist Tobii Technology – is designed to help gamers sharpen their technique by analyzing how efficiently they take in and process on-screen information.
Described by SteelSeries as a “virtual, visual coach,” the Sentry Eye Tracker allows players to track, analyze and benchmark eye movement and behaviors during gameplay, and provides real-time feedback to help improve skills.
The eye-tracking device (below), which is housed inside a slim rectangular box and sits beneath a display, gathers a broad range of stats based on where and how long a gamer focuses, or fixates, on the screen. These stats can then be analyzed to help the player discover if they’re processing game-related information in the most efficient way possible.
“Before your quick reaction time to dodge the enemy’s stun, before your amazing 360 no-scope headshot that wins the game, you need to to see what’s happening,” SteelSeries says on its website. “Before your fingers do amazing things, your eyes need to see the path to victory.”
The Danish company says it’s been working with some of the world’s best gamers to provide Sentry users with a standard for their own eye-tracking info, allowing them to compare their own stats with those of top players.
“It’s these benchmark comparisons that will allow users to gain deeper insight into how to use their eyes to improve their game,” the company said.
“When you think about the concept of eye tracking, you immediately think of innovation and next generation technology; apply that to gaming and you have something truly unique for gamers,” SteelSeries CTO Tino Soelberg said. “At its core, the Sentry employs eye-tracking functionality from our partner, Tobii, who has been a pioneer in eye tracking across many industries. When you take that core functionality and apply the deep gaming expertise of SteelSeries, we think we are able to offer a product that is innovative and incredibly beneficial to gamers.”
And collecting gaming performance data is only one of Sentry’s tricks, it seems, as there are also plans to use the technology as a new type of in-game control.
The Sentry Eye Tracker will be available later this year, with pricing to be decided.
