Eye Tracking for Mixed Reality with Neon
Neon XR from Pupil Labs is a research-grade eye-tracking solution designed to add accurate gaze tracking to virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and extended reality (XR) devices. Its compact design allows integration into existing XR headsets while providing open access to eye-tracking data for research and development.
Key Features
No Calibration Required
- Users can begin immediately without performing individual eye-tracking calibration.
- Useful for research studies, public demonstrations, and multi-user environments.
Perfect Slippage Compensation
- Automatically compensates for headset movement and repositioning.
- Maintains gaze accuracy even when the headset shifts during use.
Real-Time Eye Tracking
Provides live streams of:
- Gaze vectors
- Fixations
- Eye position
- Eye state information
- Pupil diameter measurements
This enables responsive interaction and behavioral analysis within XR applications.
Gaze-Based Interaction
Neon XR supports natural gaze interaction:
- Users look at an object to target it.
- Hand gestures (such as pinch gestures) can trigger actions.
- Works well with Microsoft’s Mixed Reality development ecosystem.
Supported integrations include:
- Unity
- Mixed Reality Toolkit 3
Typical use cases:
- Menu selection
- Object highlighting
- Hands-free user interfaces
- Accessibility solutions
- Training simulations
Visual Behavior Analysis
Researchers can study:
- Visual attention
- Search behavior
- User engagement
- Cognitive workload indicators
- Human factors and usability
Because experiments run inside virtual or mixed reality environments, researchers can precisely control stimuli while recording gaze behavior.
Open Research Platform
One of the strongest advantages of Neon XR is its openness:
- Open-source toolchain
- Open geometry for custom hardware mounts
- Real-time API access
- Direct access to raw and processed eye-tracking data
- Standard data formats for research workflows
This makes it attractive for:
- Universities
- Human-computer interaction researchers
- XR developers
- Industrial training applications
Compatible VR Systems
Meta Quest 3
- Drop-in eye-tracking add-on available.
- Enables research-grade eye tracking on a headset that does not natively include eye tracking.
Pico 4 Enterprise
- Compatible through dedicated frame mounts.
- Suitable for enterprise and research deployments.
Developer Features
Neon XR offers:
- Real-time SDK and APIs
- Unity integration
- MRTK3 integration
- Custom mount designs
- Community support
- Access to raw gaze streams
Typical Applications
| Area | Example Uses |
|---|---|
| XR Research | Attention studies, cognitive science |
| Training | Aviation, medical, industrial training |
| Human Factors | Interface evaluation and usability testing |
| Gaming | Gaze-controlled interactions |
| Accessibility | Hands-free control systems |
| Retail & Marketing | Virtual store behavior analysis |
| Education | Learning and engagement studies |
Why Researchers Use It
Compared with many consumer eye-tracking systems, Neon XR emphasizes:
- Research-grade accuracy
- Open data access
- No calibration workflow
- Hardware flexibility
- Integration with popular XR development tools
This makes it particularly useful for laboratories and developers building custom VR/MR experiences where full access to eye-tracking data is essential.
