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. 2021 Aug 26;5(3):39.
doi: 10.3390/vision5030039.

Using the Blind Spot to Investigate Trans-Saccadic Perception

Julie Royo  1 , Fabrice Arcizet  2 , Patrick Cavanagh  3   4 , Pierre Pouget  1
Affiliations

Using the Blind Spot to Investigate Trans-Saccadic Perception

Julie Royo et al. Vision (Basel). .

Abstract

We introduce a blind spot method to create image changes contingent on eye movements. One challenge of eye movement research is triggering display changes contingent on gaze. The eye-tracking system must capture the image of the eye, discover and track the pupil and corneal reflections to estimate the gaze position, and then transfer this data to the computer that updates the display. All of these steps introduce delays that are often difficult to predict. To avoid these issues, we describe a simple blind spot method to generate gaze contingent display manipulations without any eye-tracking system and/or display controls.

Keywords: blind spot; saccade; trans-saccadic; vision.

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Conflict of interest statement

P.P. is co-funder of P3lab company developing eyetracking devices.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Example of double-step task using the blind spot to create the saccade contingent display changes: (A) The forward step task consists of a screen with three targets but the participants can only see two targets at first because the third target is located in the blind spot (BS). The participants initially fixate the central point and then move their gaze to the other visible point. Shortly after the first saccade begins, the hidden point to the right of the first target is revealed as the blind spot has moved away from its location. After landing on the first target, the participants then make a saccade to this newly visible point. The left panel shows the amplitude for eye position for each saccade (blue and red arrows). (B) The back step task is similar to the forward step with the difference that the hidden target in the blind spot is located between the two visible points. The participants initially fixate the central point and then move their gaze to the other visible point. Shortly after the first saccade begins, the hidden point to the right of the first target is revealed once the blind spot has moved away from its location. After landing on the first target, participants then make a saccade to this new point. The left panel shows the amplitude for eye position for each saccade (blue and red arrows).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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