Saccadic Eye Movement

Saccadic eye movement is a biometric indicator that measures cognitive processing.

In order for the brain to gain a visual picture of a stimulus, the eye must vibrate and provide constant streams of information to the center of the retina called the fovea. The more visual information the brain wants, the more actively the eye vibrates. These mini-movements are known as macro-saccades.

In order for the brain to remember a specific visual, the eye fixates and stops moving for a fraction of a second. These macro-saccades and fixations reflect an objective level of respondent behavioral engagement that is uniquely recorded by PTG’s patented Saccadic Eye Movement Recording system.

How is Saccadic Eye Motion calculated?

Saccadic rates can reach as high as 400-500 movements per second. Both of PTG’s Saccadic Eye Movement Recorders, the stationary and the portable, are equipped to calculate a Saccadic baseline for each respondent and then compute the change in rate and amplitude for the individual when they are exposed to test material. Fixation is a separate measure of high frequency eye vibrations that are unique because little distance is traveled.

PTG’s uses a proprietary algorithm to calculate respondent engagement that we call the ELF Score or the Engagement Level Factor. The ELF Score is the percentage of respondents who were involved at that time (i.e. a 57% ELF means 57% of respondents had a high Engagement Level Factor).

By measuring the eye’s macro-saccades and fixations we know if a stimulus is visually engaging, where consumers focus their attention, and their level of behavioral engagement. The data gathered is used to refine and improve brand communications and product marketing efforts.