Eye Tracking Technology Enhances Comfort Assessment in Smart Prosthetic Devices

Recent advancements in eye-tracking technology have opened new avenues for evaluating the integration of smart prosthetics with the human body. Researchers from Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, in collaboration with Motorika and the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, have developed an innovative system that objectively measures how users perceive their prosthetic limbs during daily tasks. This system monitors the frequency of visual attention directed at the prosthesis, along with other metrics, to determine how natural and comfortable the device feels.

In their experiments, prosthetic users performed activities such as grasping objects and moving them to designated targets. When the prosthesis provided sensory feedback through electrical stimulation, users tended to look at the limb less, indicating a higher level of embodiment and less cognitive load. This suggests that sensory feedback mechanisms can make prosthetic use more intuitive and less mentally demanding, mimicking the natural interaction a healthy person has with their limb.

The portable eye-tracking setup employs glasses equipped with cameras that track eye movements and environmental context. Sophisticated computer vision algorithms analyze these data to recognize key objects and measure user attention. During prolonged trials, participants engaged in real-world tasks, with the system capturing over 250 hours of data, allowing researchers to assess feelings of comfort, embodiment, and mental effort associated with prosthetic use.

The insights gained from this technology are crucial for refining prosthetic designs. Objective measures like eye movement patterns help overcome reliance on subjective self-reports, which can be biased or unreliable outside controlled settings. As a result, this research aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of more natural, user-friendly prosthetic solutions, ultimately improving the quality of life for amputees.

The study’s findings also highlight the potential for these systems to facilitate extended post-surgical rehabilitation and long-term adaptation to neuroprosthetics. By continuously monitoring user interaction, developers can fine-tune sensory feedback and control mechanisms to maximize comfort, functionality, and integration, paving the way for more advanced and autonomous prosthetic devices in the future.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-eye-tracking-reveals-smart-prosthetics.html