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Ascension and Applied
Science Laboratories Form
Strategic Alliance
to Provide Eye Tracking Solutions
Burlington, Vermont
USA: February 12, 2003:
Ascension Technology
Corporation, based
in Burlington, Vermont, today
announced the formation of
a strategic alliance with
Applied Science Laboratories
(ASL) of Bedford,
Massachusetts. ASL, the world’s
leading eye-tracking technology
company, will now exclusively
market Ascension’s magnetic
motion trackers as their magnetic
tracking solution in their
head and eye tracking products.
Ascension and ASL enjoy a
long-standing relationship
that began thirteen years
ago. Since that time, ASL
eye trackers using magnetic
head tracking have found applications
in research and simulator
settings around the globe.
As part of their new alliance,
the two companies will join
forces to promote fully integrated
head-eye tracking systems
around the world. The two
companies will also strategically
work together to market and
develop new applications for
fully integrated head-eye
tracking.
The combination of head tracking
and eye tracking provides
fundamental benefits to a
broad range of applications
ranging from monitoring baby
eye gaze and studying cognitive
behavior to aiming weapon
systems and matching simulator
scenes with eye direction.
For example, when ASL integrates
its Model 504 Pan/Tilt remote
optics system with an Ascension
miniBIRD magnetic tracker,
the subject’s head can move
freely while eye fixation
is monitored in real time.
ASL software uses head tracked
orientation data to control
the pan/tilt of the remote
camera for automatic reacquisition.
This is essential to allow
the subject’s head to move
freely while always tracking
the eyes. With tracked position
data, the combined system
also makes a significant real
time fore and aft correction
in the point-of-gaze calculation.
This is critical for accurately
measuring eye position in
the presence of head movement.
ASL’s EYEHEAD integration
with Ascension’s trackers
provides a number of unique
features not available elsewhere.
In addition to showing where
the subject is looking on
multiple surfaces in 3D space,
the Windows-based system instantly
identifies and records up
to 20 eye targets, distances,
X-Y coordinates, and pupil
diameter for real-time monitoring
and analysis. In short, an
evaluator always knows where
this subject is looking.
Robert Baer, General Manager
of ASL, explains their decision
to standardize on Ascension’s
magnetic trackers. “There
were really only two options,
Ascension’s DC magnetic trackers
and Polhemus’ AC magnetic
trackers. Ascension’s products
out perform in every environment
because of their tolerance
for metals. Price was another
important factor. Ascension’s
systems provide a more cost-effective
solution.”
On Ascension’s side, the
performance and reliability
of ASL’s eye tracking systems
were critical factors in forming
the alliance. According to
Ascension Vice President,
Jack Scully, “ASL receives
our certification because
it offers a highly accurate
eye tracking solution, that
is fully integrated with our
magnetic trackers, and enjoys
the support of a large and
satisfied list of customers."
Ascension Technology is an
industry pioneer in the design
and development of motion
tracking solutions for 3D
computer graphics applications.
For more information, visit
www.ascension-tech.com.
Applied Science Laboratories
develops and manufactures
innovative eye tracking systems
for the fields of medicine,
cognitive psychology, training,
simulations, biomechanics
and human factors research.
For more information, visit
www.a-s-l.com.
-end-
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jack Scully (802)
893-6657 or e-mail: jscully@ascension-tech.com
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