Eye tracking, normally only found in university research labs has finally found its way into law enforcement training. The ability to track the focal point of the officer will have profound impact on both research and training.
It consists of a head mounted apparatus that has a camera facing out from the forehead. It then utilizes one (monocular) to two (binocular) cameras focused on the wearer’s eye(s) to feed software that deciphers information received from the movement of the eye. This information is then used to create a cursor that is superimposed over the video from the head mounted camera. The result shows the exact location of the individual’s gaze or focal point.
In 2009, Arrington Research™, the leader in progressive eye tracking technology and Setcan™ Corporation, Canada’s largest officer safety product and training company, partnered to develop an integrated eye tracking program for law enforcement. In 2010, the Eyelock™ Training System will become available to police agencies world wide.
The eyes are the primary survival sense of all human beings. The ability to perceive a potential threat as quickly as possible is integral to ensuring the fastest response possible. If the eyes are focused on the wrong area of the body or become fixated on a distracting event, the results can be catastrophic to the officer.
The Eyelock™ Training System consists of a binocular eye tracker, custom software and training on both use and integration for law enforcement. Trained personal will be able to conduct their own research or utilize the existing Eyelock™ program to dramatically improve shooting, scan patterns, pattern recognition and breaking improper fixations. The system allows for real time viewing and feedback from the trainer. Further debriefing can be conducted by reviewing the recorded videos with the student.
