A Canada based company called Xuuk. Inc has introduced Eyebox2, a camera which can track glances. Thus now advertisers can keep a record of how many times a hoarding is viewed.
Eyebox2 is a palm sized camera which works on the infrared technology. However no personal data can be collected through the device. Rather the camera cannot even take a picture of the viewer’s face. But Eyebox2 is well equipped with the software which allows user to analyse the recorded data.
“It’s less accurate than those systems, but it is good enough to let us know whether you are looking at a display or billboard or not,” says lead developer Roel Vertegaal from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.
Eyebox2 has 1.3 mega pixel sensors and the range is 32 feet or 10 meters. Earlier eye tracking systems could cover the distance of only half a meter. Also they were as expensive as Rs. 10,25,000. But the Eyebox2 costs only Rs. 41,000 ($1000). Eyebox2 also can track several people at once.
Thus this can prove to be an advantage to the advertising industry as one can keep the record of the number of viewers seen in the hoarding. At present the value of the hoarding is decided on the basis of estimate audience. But the question is, is advertising industry ready to pay Rs. 41,000 per hoarding?
Besides advertising, Eyebox2 can be the suitable device for supermarkets, jewelers etc. Managers can certainly keep a record of how many times a particular product is viewed.
