# Head Pose and Gaze

{% hint style="info" %}
For specifically how to design with head pose and gaze, please also look at the [Interface Elements and Behaviors](/the-design-of-virtual-and-augmented-reality/an-introduction-to-spatial-design/interface-layout-and-location/interface-elements-and-behaviors.md) as well as the [Button States and Object Manipulation](/the-design-of-virtual-and-augmented-reality/an-introduction-to-spatial-design/input-method-and-interaction-design-1/button-states-and-object-manipulation.md) sections.
{% endhint %}

Head pose and gaze is a very facinating type of input, focused on taking advantage of our natural human desire to keep content located in the center of our FOV for comfort.  

#### Benefits of Head Pose and Eye-Gaze input:

* High speed pointing that requires low effort to dictate human interest
* Alternative input channel as powerful supporting other inputs like controller or hands
* It requires visual attention for the user to apply interaction (less false positives)

{% embed url="<https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1*fst6G5cqowQtN6uuBSED-g.gif>" %}
Link: <https://uxdesign.cc/design-practices-in-virtual-reality-f900f5935826>
{% endembed %}

#### Challenges of Head Pose and Eye-Gaze Input: <a href="#challenges-of-eye-gaze-as-an-input" id="challenges-of-eye-gaze-as-an-input"></a>

* The hover interaction is "always on" and content reacting to every look you make and potentially accidentally issuing actions
* Most systems involve reticles, and placement of reticle on an object, which means your user has to have an active awareness of an input they don't normally consciously think about.
* Great for button states, terrible for manipulation of objects.

{% embed url="<https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/design/images/gazetargeting-highlighting-940px.jpg>" %}
Link: <https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/design/gaze-and-commit-head>
{% endembed %}

**Eye-Gaze isn't the same as Head Pose:**

* **Tracking reliability:** Eye tracking accuracy may degrade a little in changing light as your eyes adjust to the new conditions. While this shouldn't necessarily affect your application design, as the accuracy should be within the 2° limitation, it may be necessary for the user to calibrate again.
* **Ragged eye-gaze movements:** Our eyes perform rapid movements from fixation to fixation. If you look at scan paths of recorded eye movements, you can see that they look ragged. Your eyes move quickly and in spontaneous jumps in comparison to *head-gaze* or *hand motions*.
* **Focusing Operations in Z direction**: while our head may stay in the same general direction, our eyes have the ability to perform focusing operations for different levels of depth

{% embed url="<https://developer-content-images.magicleap.com/3ervYyqbjOgIGuwo0wQWEC/3ecf63c8d8a8ed278d824172e50ece62/InteractionModel_InputMethods_Headpose_GIF.gif>" %}
Link: <https://developer.magicleap.com/en-us/learn/guides/design-headpose>
{% endembed %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://aliheston.gitbook.io/the-design-of-virtual-and-augmented-reality/an-introduction-to-spatial-design/input-method-and-interaction-design/head-pose-and-gaze.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.