Collaborative Use of a Shared System Interface: The Role of User Gaze—Gaze Convergence Index Based on Synchronous Dual-Eyetracking

• Main Authors: Armel Quentin Tchanou, Pierre-Majorique Léger, Jared Boasen, Sylvain Senecal, Jad Adam Taher, Marc Fredette
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: gaze convergence; eye-tracking; synchronous dual-gaze recording; dual eye-tracking; collaborative use; shared interface
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/13/4508

Gaze convergence of multiuser eye movements during simultaneous collaborative use of a shared system interface has been proposed as an important albeit sparsely explored construct in human-computer interaction literature. Here, we propose a novel index for measuring the gaze convergence of user dyads and address its validity through two consecutive eye-tracking studies. Eye-tracking data of user dyads were synchronously recorded while they simultaneously performed tasks on shared system interfaces. Results indicate the validity of the proposed gaze convergence index for measuring the gaze convergence of dyads. Moreover, as expected, our gaze convergence index was positively associated with dyad task performance and negatively associated with dyad cognitive load. These results suggest the utility of (theoretical or practical) applications such as synchronized gaze convergence displays in diverse settings. Further research perspectives, particularly into the construct’s nomological network, are warranted.