Children reading on a screen
Reading and language

Understanding how we read and acquire language

Eye tracking has become an established tool to objectively measure human language processing with important applications in linguistics and education research.

Why use eye tracking?

Eye tracking is a scientific research methodology used to understand human cognitive processes and behavioral patterns, as we perceive, process, and comprehend language.

Tobii Pro Lab and Tobii Pro Fusion

What you can measure with eye tracking

The eye tracking solution with a dedicated application, like our software Tobii Pro Lab, can further process the eye tracking data to draw valuable conclusions on reading and language, including:

Reading on a device

Reading behavior

Get insights into text processing, the duration of visual attention assigned to specific text parts at the phrase, word, or even character level.

Tobii Pro Lab

Language processing

Understand language processing at various levels of analysis within the sentence: character, syllable, word, phrase, or sentence.

2 children reading on a laptop

Comprehension strategies

Long regressions (more than ten letter spaces back along the line or to another line) may indicate difficulty understanding or incorporating a unit into the previous context.

Tobii Pro Spectrum

Second language acquisition

Study how language learners process written text in their non-native language.

woman reading on a tablet Stiftung Lesen user case

Digital reading

Study how readers interact with various text formats, interfaces, and content delivery platforms.

Reading Research with Tobii Pro Spectrum Eye Tracker

Atypical learning patterns

Eye tracking can reveal fixation duration, saccades, and regressions, helping identify atypical patterns like dyslexia or ADHD.

Field of research

  • Educational psychology 

  • Psycholinguistics

  • Cognitive psychology

  • Neurolinguistics

  • Educational research

  • Developmental psychology

Eye tracking insights

Eye movement data provide valuable insight into written language comprehension. It helps understand language processing at various levels of analysis within the sentence: character, syllable, word, phrase, or sentence.

In educational psychology, eye tracking can prove to be a great tool to gain insights into learning behavior, cognitive load, and engagement. The results help effectively design, evaluate, and improve educational materials and learning situations.

Moreover, eye tracking methodology can be used to reveal atypical reading patterns. It provides a robust source of insight into conditions, therefore opening the possibility of an objective, unobtrusive diagnostic  tool for learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

Research setups for reading and language studies

Tobii Pro Glasses 3

Wearable for the real world

The Tobii Pro Glasses 3 wearable eye tracker allows complete freedom of movement, which is crucial for behavioral insights in the real world. The lightweight design of the glasses, coupled with a wireless connection, allows participants to perform their tasks as usual.

Tobii Pro Spark

Screen-based for the lab

For lab environments, our screen-based eye trackers, Tobii Pro spark and Tobii Pro Fusion, can be combined with Tobii Pro Lab to study perceptual-cognitive processes.

tobii-pro-fusion-test-with-child-in-school

Screen-based for the field

In the field, you can connect the plug-and-play Tobii Pro Fusion eye tracker to a screen in, say, a classroom, where study participants are readily available. Works together with Tobii Pro Lab to gather insights on gaze behavior.

Delve deeper into reading and linguistic exploration

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A boy reading on a Tobii Pro Spectrum eye tracker

Scientific publications

Did you know that over 12,000 scientific publications
feature Tobii eye tracking technology?

Discover the latest trends in eye tracking for Reading and language research
by exploring our scientific publication library.

Our products used for reading and language research

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Enabling success

Tobii offers tailored support to address research needs throughout your journey with Tobii’s eye tracking.

Person in front of the computer with academic icons visible

Tobii Funding support services

Tobii Funding support services help you improve your grant proposals for research that includes eye tracking in its methodology

Tobii Connect

Tobii Connect

Tobii Connect delivers product documentation, how-to guides, and answers to FAQs as well as access to software updates. Our customer care services help with any technical issues concerning Tobii products.

Tobii Academy

Tobii Academy

Tobii Academy our online learning platform, helping you ensure study success at every step of the way from study design to interpreting your eye tracking data.