Tobii Celebrates Ten Years of Eye Tracking and Business Innovation

Tobii Technology celebrates its tenth anniversary this year by unveiling its vision for eye tracking. Thanks to technological advances and market adoption, eye tracking will soon be part of our everyday lives; in computers, cars, everywhere.

Tobii Technology was founded in 2001 based on the invention of making camera sensors that track eye movement, today known as remote eye tracking. From day one, the company’s goal has been to develop products with strong user benefits and to realize the vision of eye tracking in every computer.

“We started with a technology innovation that was exciting but had unproven possibilities. The idea of being able to control a computer with your gaze was thrilling, and too good to pass up”, said Henrik Eskilsson, CEO and co-founder of Tobii Technology.

A speedy ten-year journey

In 2001, companies were wrestling a harsh business climate and the founders soon realized that the key to success was to find paying customers and not venture capital. Within one year, the first product was sold and shipped to a usability consulting firm in Austria. More than 1,000 companies and 500 academic customers have since chosen research eye trackers from Tobii.

Tobii started selling eye trackers and communication solutions for people with special needs in 2004. The first eye-controlled computer came in 2006. Today, nearly 5,000 people around the world use communication devices from Tobii in their daily communication.

Tobii looking forward

“After ten years in this business we’ve finally reached the point where we’re ready to enter the mass market and thereby fulfill the vision outlined in Tobii’s very first business plan: eye tracking in every computer. The technology is mature and the market is ready. Computer interfaces have changed radically over the last two years and people adopt natural user interfaces very quickly these days. I’m convinced that eye control will be part of this revolution”, said Eskilsson.

The business potential of eye tracking goes far beyond consumer electronics.

“We grow within existing segments and launch entirely new concepts all the time. Yet we have still only unlocked a fraction of the potential of eye tracking. We believe that eye tracking will be part of our everyday lives; in computers at home and at work, in cars, hospital care, diagnostics, education, and research to mention just a few areas. And we believe that this will happen now”, concluded Eskilsson.

Eye tracking innovations—a strong track record

Tobii has a strong track record of launching new innovations:

• The world’s first eye-controlled laptop, the Tobii-Lenovo prototype, 2011

• The world’s first truly unobtrusive mobile eye tracking glasses, Tobii Glasses, 2010

• The world’s first embedded eye tracking system, Tobii IS Eye Tracker, 2009

• The world’s first widescreen eye tracker , Tobii T60XL, 2009

• The world’s first eye tracker with double sensors, the Tobii T/X series, 2007

• The world’s first eye-controlled computer, the Tobii P10, 2006

• The world’s first eye tracker integrated with a monitor, 2002

• The world´s first eye tracker with head movement compensation, 2002

Technological innovations and business growth have paid off in numerous awards and merits.