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Eye tracking defines the process of identifying where we look, in technical terms, it is referred as tracking the “point of gaze”. It also involves recording what do we ignore, when do we blink and how does our pupil react to different stimuli. The technology is being widely used in different sectors including healthcare, business marketing, website usability research, etc.
Concept Of Eye Tracking Technology
An “Eye Tracker” is used to collect the data related to movement of the eyes. It consists of two basic components; namely a light source and a camera. The light source is used to direct infrared light towards the eyes. This causes detectable reflections in the pupil and cornea of the eye. The reflection vector is tracked by the camera to record the eye movement.
Infrared light is used as it offers better accuracy as compared to visible light. Light falling in visible spectrum range tends to generate uncontrolled specular reflection. On the contrary, infrared light enters the pupil directly, while it bounces off the iris. This generates clear demarcation of the pupil adding to the accuracy of reflections. Also, the infrared light is not visible to the human eye and thus, it doesn’t generate any distraction to the user while his eye movement is being tracked.
Types Of Eye Trackers:
- Screen-Based Eye Trackers: They are mounted either below or close to the screen. They allow the respondent to be seated comfortably in front of the monitor and record eye movement from a distance. Although the devices record eye movement within certain limits known as head box; they still allow freedom of movement to the respondent. The devices are used when observing results for a screen-based stimulus such as magazines, books, pictures, videos, websites, etc.
- Head-Mounted Eye Trackers: These include mobile device trackers which are fitted near the eyes (commonly mounted in eyeglass frames). Thus, they allow greater degree of freedom of movement to the respondent. However, high degree of movement may result in shifting of the glasses while recording the eye movement. This type of eye tracker devices are used when observation has to be made for objects or tasks in real life or virtual environments such as usability studies, product testing, etc.
Business Applications Of Eye Tracking Technology:
- Market Research: Eye tracking helps in measuring attention to brand or products. Thus, business owners use the technology to evaluate their products, designs or buying behavior to optimize overall customer experience.
- Usability Research: The technology is being extensively used to measure user experience offered by a website. It helps the developers and business website owners in recognizing the areas that attract user attention or areas that need to be improved.
- Packaging Research: Before a product is launched, thorough research is done to design a package that can get enough visual attention on store shelves. Eye tracking technology is usually used for designing the packages and understanding customers’ preferences.
- Advertizing: Eye tracking is being used by business marketing professionals to measure the effectiveness of design concepts & placement of advertizement posts (print media and online).
For more information on latest trends in business technology, call Centex Technologies at (254) 213 – 4740.
Biometrics and secure digital solutions are evolving continuously with the increasing need for surveillance and security. Availability of greater computer processing power and sophisticated software algorithms have contributed towards the improvement of existing methods. These advancements have transformed the conventional ways of user identification and verification. The paradigms of next-generation biometrics have evolved in every aspect, from fingerprint scanning to voice recognition.
Major vendors are investing significantly in bringing advancements in biometric solutions. Technologies that are transforming our conventions are:
- Phone ID and Voice ID: Combining phone ID and voice ID will not require the customers to enter personal ID or security numbers for completion of authentication. The unique enrollment process involves repetition of a short phrase to create a unique voice print. This proceeds with the need for customers to call from their registered phone numbers. This advanced technology comes with the ability to detect if user’s voice is being played on a recorder. The technology is a unique combination that offers the highest standards of security and also prevent fraud.
- Facial Recognition For Airport Security: Advanced facial recognition play a vital part in ensuring safety and security. Thus, it has found an important application in airport security. There is an upcoming facial recognition technology at the airports that will ensure security in its highest standards. The security scanners, through which the passengers pass, will be equipped with an advanced biometric security system. With implementation of this technology, the passengers will not be required to print their boarding pass. This will facilitate paperless and self-boarding process.
- Fingerprint Biometrics For Voter Verification Systems: Fingerprint biometric technologies are being implied to voter verification systems. These are developed to conduct elections in a peaceful and fair manner. This technology assists the authorities to verify and identify voters through fingerprints. It will reduce the chances of fraud, streamline the verification process and offer convenience to the citizens by reducing waiting times. This system will avoid the chances of multiple votes with different identities. Also, this will help in maintaining quality and confidentiality of data.
- Cybersecurity With Biometrics: Improved biometric technologies provide new kind of digital identity data, ways to collect it and opportunities for its use. It greatly reduces the risk of unknown individuals attacking confidential data in different fields. Hence, biometrics will become an increasingly valuable tool for verifying identities in a deeply interconnected national security environment.
For more information on advancements in biometric industry, call Centex Technologies at (254) 213 – 4740.
Sensors are sophisticated electrical devices composed of sensitive materials that detect and respond to electrical or optical signals. They are also variably known as transducers. Usually, sensors operate in a variety of manners and are designed to sense physical properties like temperature or radiation. However, they can also be used to detect motion or proximity.
The industry of sensors is flourishing due to the advancement in material science and engineering. Its application is relevant in virtually all aspects of life to test, measure and control various processes.
Due to research and development activities, sensors have found application in various industries:
1. Importance Of Sensors In Internet of Things (IoT) Solutions: Sensors are one of the most important elements in IoT solutions. For an IoT system to work, a manual or environmental signal input is always required. Sensors collect data from the surrounding environment and are connected to IoT networks after signal conversion and processing. Note that different IoT applications require different types of sensors. Common types of IoT sensors include:
- Temperature Sensors: These types of sensors have found application in air-conditioners, refrigerators and similar environmental control devices. They measure the amount of heat energy generated from an object.
Humidity Sensors: Humidity adversely affects human comfort. Also, there are various manufacturing processes that are affected by humidity in the operating environment. This makes it essential to monitor the humidity level through sensors. - Motion Sensors: These are popularly used for security purposes as well as in automatic door controls, hand dryers, energy management systems, etc
2. Use Of Sensors In Healthcare Industry: Fitness gadgets and medical devices are extensively using sensors to monitor medical condition and health statistics of individuals. Sensors are also finding their way in technology that tracks progression of a disease. Sensors are also used in devices that finds out how medicines are interacting with patient’s body.
3. Aerospace & Military Applications: Due to the surviving capability of temperature sensors in extreme conditions, it has found widespread use in aerospace and military application.
4. Use Of Sensors In Chemical Industry: Chemical identifications are achieving accuracy as sensors are being integrated into cameras. For example, sensors are used to detect valuable minerals in rocks. This is possible due to the hyper-spectral imaging that gathers information about each pixel of the image. It then determines material and objects despite the complex background.
5. Use Of Sensors In Agriculture: Sensors are used to determine crop quality, pest infestation, effect of weather on crops, sorting of produce, etc. Advancements in sensor technology has allowed agriculturists to have better output which leads to economic benefits.
Most of the innovations in IoT are based on the efficacy of sensors to collect data from different sources. For more information on how sensors and IoT devices can help your business process, contact Centex Technologies at (254) 213 – 4740.
Smartphones are nowadays an integral part of business operations. They are used to receive & send business mails, messages and getting business updates. Also, mobile banking applications & business specific mobile apps are being extensively used to manage operations of a business. As smartphones may contain important business and financial information, any kind of breach can leave you at a serious risk.
Hackers use numerous ways to get into your phone e.g. using public internet to download a program. They may make use of the applications downloaded on your phone to access files, passwords and other sensitive information. So, it becomes imperative to keep your devices safe from hackers. However, it is equally important to be able to recognize if your smartphone is hacked.
- Decreased Battery Life: Though mobile applications, software and programs need to use phone’s battery in order to perform to their full capacity; there are chances that a smartphone is compromised by a malware if the phone’s battery decreases at a fast rate. This may be a sign that the malware running in the background is zapping phone’s resources and transmitting important information.
- Performance Differences: If your device is operating slower, constantly freezing and applications are frequently crashing; there is a possibility that a malware is secretly running in the background. Also, the phone may turn on and off randomly or your applications can keep on running even after multiple efforts to close them.
- High Data Usage: A smartphone that has been compromised by a malware uses a lot of data. Unusually high data usage may be due to the spy apps running in the background.
- Unknown Calls Or Texts: Hackers may send links or strange codes to target your phone. Once you click on the link, the hacker will gain remote access to the information on your phone. Thus, it is important to check your phone bills regularly for calls or texts to unknown numbers as this can be a possible malware activity.
- Unusual Pop-ups: If your phone is regularly disturbed by pop-ups, it’s likely that your phone has been hacked. These pop-ups may have phishing links designed to steal sensitive information or download more malware. Users should be careful when clicking the closing icon as these are designed in a way to trick users into clicking on the area that opens up another malicious site.
- Unusual Account Activities: If your device has been compromised, hackers may have access to accounts linked to the device like social media apps, emails and other lifestyle apps. Thus, keep an eye on activities like password reset, unauthorized emails, etc.
For more information about safeguarding your computing devices and protecting your computer network, call Centex Technologies at (254) 213 – 4740.