You might not think of just how much there is to developing a modern top-of-the-line VR headset. Eye tracking is an important part of the future of VR and Sony has chosen eye tracking technology company Tobii to develop for the PSVR2.
At present, there aren’t any consumer level VR headsets specifically for video gaming that deal with eye tracking. At present, eye tracking in VR is mostly available in more productivity or business-based uses like the Microsoft HoloLens 2 ($3,500 base price) or the HTC Vive Pro Eye ($1,400). We should see that stat to change as the technology becomes more mainstream.
To that end, Tobii is already quite big in the world of video games, with their Tobii Eye Tracker 5 product for PC games (non-VR) that handles head and eye tracking.
Tobii describe the important eye tracking as:
Eye tracking is a sensor technology that decodes gaze. It is a foundational technology for a broad range of applications, including scientific research, behavioral analysis, and assistive technology.
While this isn’t only an application and a technology for gamers, eye tracking can take over something like aiming with a mouse (or analog stick) to bring the action to a more natural level.
While there are plenty of real world applications for this technology, its implementation into the upcoming PSVR2 will raise the headset above its predecessor.
