Chinese researchers have announced the creation of a new eye-tracking technology powered by the friction between the eye’s surface and the eyelid during blinking, eliminating the need for an external power source.
Currently operational in the lab setting, such a self-powered eye tracking capability could be used to assist people who rely on their eyes to operate electronics and other devices.
“We’ve developed a self-powered eye-tracking system that harvests energy from blinking and can be used to detect eye movements with high precision,” says Yun-Ze Long of Qingdao University.
In dystopian science fiction, tracking eye movements can be used for invasive, nefarious purposes. In the real world, eye-tracking devices allow people who can no longer move most or all of their bodies to control wheelchairs, browse the internet, or operate Internet of Things (IoT) electronic devices. Still, wider adoption of eye-tracking assistance technology has been limited by its size, weight, and power requirements.
According to the research team behind the new eye-tracking technology, currently available options designed to assist people with mobility impairments, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often degrade in low-light conditions or cause eye strain after prolonged use. Taken together, they challenged themselves to create a self-powered, wearable, more sustainable, and user-friendly device.
First, the team decided to base their system’s power generation on the principles behind triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Designed to convert mechanical energy into usable electrical power from low-power sources like raindrops, sweat, or evaporating water, triboelectric technologies offer the scalability and minute energy-harvesting capabilities needed to power eye-tracking technology with blinking.
After building their prototype device, Long’s team tested it by tracking the eye movements of a rabbit. After examining the results, the researchers found that the TENG they chose generated enough energy to power the device with any external power source.
“We were particularly surprised by how well the friction layer retained its charge in a biological setting on a rabbit’s eye,” Long said of the TBN’s unexpected performance.
An analysis of the device’s accuracy revealed that its self-powered eye tracker could successfully detect eye movements as small as 2 degrees. This level of sensitivity was complemented with a measured precision of 99%. Long said this level of precision remained under challenging lab conditions meant to test the device’s operational limitations.
“We were also impressed by the system’s ability to maintain high accuracy even in noisy electromagnetic environments,” the researcher explained.
When discussing the implications of their self-powered eye-tracking technology, the Qingdao University research team said their work proves it is possible to harvest usable energy from very subtle body movements, such as blinking.
“It’s designed to be lightweight, comfortable, and helpful—especially for those who rely on eye movements to communicate or interact with the world.” Long said. “It’s an example of how technology can empower people and make daily life more accessible.”
Along with medical settings, the researchers suggested that eye-tracking technology powered by blinking or other subtle movements could be used in virtual reality (VR) settings. This included potential future applications in intelligent driving and space exploration, where monitoring eye movements could offer critical safety and performance advantages.
“The system works in the dark, requires no external power source, and is as lightweight and comfortable as everyday glasses and contact lenses,” Long said, adding that their eye tracker also “turns something as simple as a blink into a source of power and control.”
The study “Self-powered eye-tracking system by harvesting the energy of blinking” was published in Cell Reports Physical Science.
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.