MB-ManyWebcams
In this project, we are investigating whether the gaze behaviour of young children can be reliably measured using a webcam. The aim is to develop a cost-effective and accessible alternative to laboratory eye tracking.
General information
- project title
- ManyBabies - ManyWebcams
- promotion
- German Research Foundation (DFG)
- project management
- PD Dr. Tobias Schuwerk
- project staff
- Lucie Zimmer
Summary
In this project, we are validating a method that allows us to measure the gaze behavior of young children (18-27 months) online. The study of gaze behavior using eye tracking is an established method that enables researchers to investigate the cognitive development of children and thus better understand how children interact with the world. We measure anticipatory gaze behavior using the webcams of participating families. To find out whether this online eye-tracking method is an alternative to commercial eye-tracking systems in the laboratory, we are comparing the previous results of the parent project ManyBabies2 (see here), which demonstrated spontaneous goal-directed action anticipation in infants, with the results of this online project ManyWebcams (see https://manybabies.github.io/MB-ManyWebcams/). The goal is to work with a team of international researchers to establish an attractive alternative to eye tracking in the lab. We hope that our open-source tool will provide a free and powerful method for future research.