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Reviewer: Stefan A Robila

Eye tracking is defined as the measurement of the position of the eyes relative to the head. The aim of eye tracking is to identify where the person is looking (this is also referred to as the point of gaze). Such a study has significant implications for determining how visual attention is achieved, and contributes to a better neurological understanding of human cognition. More recently, the study of eye tracking has become a useful tool in designing visually attractive media, such as Web sites, advertising, and art. As the title suggests, the book provides an in-depth overview of the science and applications behind eye tracking. This second edition was written to keep abreast with technological advances and practical applications, as well as to provide support for experimental methodologies and case studies. The author is an expert in the field, and has a strong interest in computer science education. The book is composed of four main parts, each focusing on distinctive areas of the field: human visual systems (HVS), eye tracking systems, research methodologies, and applications. In the first part (four chapters), on HVS, the neurological and psychophysical aspects of eye movement and focus are considered. The book briefly covers various historic and contemporary models for visual attention, and then proceeds to discuss the neural system that supports human vision. In the second part (eight chapters), eye tracking systems, whether head mounted or table mounted, are described in detail. A drawback of such content is the risk of becoming out of date relatively quickly due to the continuous advance of both sensing and computing technologies. As such, describing in detail a Linux client application interface for a particular system seems out of place and of limited use. It would have been more beneficial for the author to adopt a more conceptual approach, focusing only on the main characteristics of the sensors and leaving such details to be accessed through references or hyperlinks. The third part (three chapters) is intriguing in that it combines general experimental design suggestions with a series of case studies. Of significant merit is that the research projects are not only presented, but also critically analyzed in the context of the experimental research concepts presented previously. Missing from this part is a basic discussion on the ethics involved in doing experimental research, and any particular concerns that would apply to eye tracking. The final part (five chapters) is the most fascinating; it focuses on applications. A reader needing stimulus should begin here (an approach also suggested by the author in the preface)—it will provide the motivation for the currency of the topic. The applications listed are impressive: psychology and neuroscience (scene perception and visual search); marketing and advertising (print, television, Web media, and labels); industrial engineering (aviation, driving, and visual inspection); and human-computer interaction (HCI) (such as universal accessibility and attentive user interfaces). This part was expanded in this edition, and there is no doubt that it will continue to evolve over time. To its merit, the content for each chapter is supplemented with further readings sections, which will allow interested readers to delve deeper in one direction or another. The book is written in an easy-to-understand language. Given its breadth, it may be most appropriate for scientists and students starting in this field. Overall, I found it to be a solid book on a fascinating topic. The only negative is that the cover is rather bland. Given that it is a book on eye tracking, it would have been fascinating and commercially productive to use more powerful graphics or imagery. This would have set the tone, and increased the reader’s interest. Online Computing Reviews Service