Understanding eye movements: A reading study with MindLink Air

Knowledge workers spend an average of 2–3 hours per day navigating emails, news feeds, and other digital content—over 50% of them doing so with corrective eyewear.

In partnership with the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), we conducted a reading study using AdHawk’s eye tracking technology. This study aimed to capture unique user baselines, characterize reading task identification accuracy, and help explain how our eyes behave while reading.

By establishing a baseline consisting of an individual's standard eye movements and reading patterns, we are able to gain a clearer understanding of normal reading behavior, including typical saccades and fixations. By tracking these patterns over time, we can identify deviations that may signal changes in focus, fatigue, or cognitive load.

AdHawk's eye tracking technology is uniquely suited to capture this longitudinal data with the ability to detect even the smallest of eye movements with high precision. With our MindLink Air glasses we are able to collect a wealth of information that can reveal insights into the wearer's cognition. The frictionless, invisible design of the glasses allows researchers to capture high quality data with minimal interference to participants' typical reading behavior.

Behind the research: Our study process

We had participants read different blocks of text twice a day for five days while wearing our eye tracking glasses. Each reader sat at a dedicated reading study station, where they read blocks of text ranging in complexity from a Grade 7 level to a University level.

We recorded over 80 structured reading sessions comprised of high-precision eye movement data.

Figure 1. A reading study participant wearing AdHawk MindLink glasses.

While reading, our eye movements can offer valuable insights into lexical processes (recognition and interpretation of phonemics) and cognitive skills. Our eye tracking technology, equipped with research-grade sensors, captured eye movements, blinks, and fixations, allowing researchers to analyze saccade patterns and make inferences about participants' reading.

Figure 2. The study setup, showing a text block for the participant to read.

Uncovering key findings

From this structured reading experiment, several key insights emerged:

Double saccades and corrective movements

One unexpected finding was the presence of double saccades indicating that people were correcting their gaze to focus on the specific words. For some participants, these micro-adjustments served as an essential correction mechanism, ensuring accurate reading flow.

Figure 3. Animated visualization of gaze, vergence, pupil diameter and eyeball movement during a reading task.

Establishing baselines

We were able to detect subtle variations in reading behaviors among different individuals using metrics like fixation duration, blinks, and saccade amplitude. Changes in measured reading behavior relative to their baseline might suggest change in cognitive state.

Real-time reading detection

Through the analysis of saccade events, fixation durations, and blinks, we developed a real-time algorithm capable of detecting reading activity with over 91% accuracy. This activity detection was facilitated by the high speed eye tracking of AdHawk MindLink.

Line detection

We were able to accurately capture different types of reading tendencies that users performed.

• Stutter (2-step line break). Some users used the middle of the line as a visual anchor to ensure they were on the right line, this method was detected after analyzing their saccade patterns which showed a unique dip or peak.
• Glance (regression). When looking at individual saccade patterns we were able to identify when participants went back to a specific word or re-read an earlier part of the sentence. This created a distinct drop or plateau in their saccade pattern.

Figure 4. Evidence of reading behaviour (stutter, glance) in eye tracking data.

Moving forward

With eye tracking, we’re learning about one of the most cognitively intensive tasks—reading.  Our study offered insights that could contribute to future advancements in eye tracking technology and enhance our understanding of eye movements while reading. These insights offer significant potential across various applications, from enhancing productivity to improving reading comprehension.

Ready to read smarter? Discover how eye tracking technology can impact your reading and enhance your performance. Visit mindlinkair.com to learn more.