Gaze tracking for eye-hand coordination training systems in virtual reality

Abstract

Eye-hand coordination training systems are used to improve user performance during fast movements in sports training. In this work, we explored gaze tracking in a Virtual Reality (VR) sports training system with a VR headset. Twelve subjects performed a pointing study with or without passive haptic feedback. Results showed that subjects spent an average of 0.55 s to visually find and another 0.25 s before their finger selected a target. We also identified that, passive haptic feedback did not increase the performance of the user. Moreover, gaze tracker accuracy significantly deteriorated when subjects looked below their eye level. Our results also point out that practitioners/trainers should focus on reducing the time spent on searching for the next target to improve their performance through VR eye-hand coordination training systems. We believe that current VR eye-hand coordination training systems are ready to be evaluated with athletes.