Evaluating an eye tracking interface for a two-dimensional sketch editor

Throughout the history of CAD, a variety of interfaces have been employed with the aim of supporting designers’ construction and manipulation of digital models. This paper explores the potential of eye tracking as a CAD interface, and presents a prototype that uses collected gaze data to support shape exploration in a two-dimensional vector-based sketch editor. The eye tracking interface uses the visual interactions of users to identify interpretations of constructed shapes, according to recognised parts identified using methods from shape grammar research. It can therefore be argued that it supports construction and manipulation of shapes according to user intent. The prototype has been evaluated in a user study where design students carried out controlled shape exploration exercises which involved interpretation and manipulation of shapes. In the paper, key concepts of eye tracking methodology are introduced; the methods used to implement the eye tracking interface are described; and the user study and its outcomes are reported. The results are positive and indicate the potential for eye tracking as an interface for supporting shape exploration in CAD.