The potential of using mobile eye-tracking in construction safety research - review

Eye tracking is a tool that can be used in building construction. In addition to registering gaze path, eye trackers (ET) can diagnose cognitive arousal (pupil diameter, blinking rate, eye-openers). Typically, mobile ETs are equipped with microphones but can also incorporate gyroscopes and accelerometers. Eye tracking can coexist with Augmented Reality (AR) technology, known as HoloLens, proving to be a promising tool for facilitating construction tasks. Due to their cost and privacy concerns, eye trackers (ETs) are not likely to become a standard wearable for workers in the near future, unlike pulse and skin conductance devices. ET devices might be perceived as another element serving surveillance rather than enhancing safety.

Economic and social issues are not the only aspects influencing how scientists and construction site managers would apply ET. To improve gaze tracking and safety on construction sites, the use of eye tracking (ET) encounters several challenges. These include non-compliance with eye protection norms, difficulty integrating with other safety gear, limited operational duration, and the lack of efficient systems for analyzing gaze in dynamic environments. One of the main challenges is also the highly variable weather conditions: lighting (intense, variable, glare), rain, and low and very high temperatures. The individual facial and eye structure can hinder device calibration and data collection. Actions need to be taken to create eye trackers that can meet the mentioned requirements and others that will be presented.