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Mangold Vision: Professional Eye Tracking Software and Hardware

Mangold Vision, the powerful eye tracking system for scientific research, industry applications, and market research studies.

Mangold Vision, the powerful eye tracking system for scientific research, industry applications, and market research studies.

The professional eye-tracking system for your studies

Mangold Vision is long-established, ready-to-use eye-tracking software. When used with the appropriate hardware, it provides in-depth insights into the visual behavior of study participants.

Designed specifically for scientific research, industrial applications and market research studies, the system captures the actual visual user experience. It goes beyond mere eye tracking to provide insights into human cognition that cannot be obtained using conventional methods such as observations, questionnaires or interviews.

With Mangold Vision, you can present your test subjects with media such as images, videos or websites, or structured tests, and record their gaze behaviour.

Area-of-interest analysis provides statistical values and interesting insights into participants’ overall gaze behaviur. Based on these, you can create impressive visualisations such as gaze replay diagrams and videos, focus maps or heat maps.

With Mangold Vision, you can discover the true visual impact of your test objects, something that would be impossible to ascertain without eye tracking.

Eye-tracking hardware

The Mangold Vision system comes with compatible eye-tracking hardware, the specifications of which may vary depending on the application.

Mangold Vision eye tracking system interface

Eye-tracking stimuli

The system supports a wide range of stimulus types:

  • Images: Static visual content for structured tests, for example in marketing or psychological studies, with randomization of stimuli in freely definable groups.
  • Videos: Dynamic content for analyzing gaze behavior, for example in advertising films or psychological studies.
  • Screen recording: By recording the entire computer screen, almost any application can be analyzed using eye tracking.
  • Websites: Due to the complexity of interaction on today’s websites, static recording of website snapshots and subsequent mapping of gaze data to such images is no longer effective. For this reason, recording screen videos for websites is recommended.

Beyond basic eye tracking, the system captures comprehensive data, including:

  • The user’s face via webcam
  • The webcam microphone, which enables thinking aloud protocols.
  • The user’s computer interactions (mouse movements and keyboard inputs)
User typing on keyboard

Features

Mangold Vision is a user-friendly yet powerful screen-based eye tracking system with many advantages.

Modular Software

The software package has a modular structure and is not a monolithic application. This means the individual components (project creation, recording, and evaluation) can be used independently of each other at any time. For example, users can evaluate projects while others use the device to record in the field. The software is not tied to a specific device and can, in principle, be used on almost any powerful PC or laptop computer. By storing data in project containers, projects can easily be copied from one computer to another without considering absolute paths to stimulus files or recorded data.

Special advantages of Mangold Vision Designer

  • Studies can be easily created by dragging and dropping stimuli.
  • Stimuli can have logic, enabling the development of different stimulus sequences depending on eye movements or keystrokes.
  • Multiple freely definable attributes can be specified for each participant.
  • Multiple questionnaires can be integrated during the study, and the answers can be saved and evaluated in relation to attributes.
  • Stimuli can be randomized into groups and mixed in an orderly fashion. Only the elements within a group are randomized, while the respective stimuli retain their position in the study sequence. This ensures that only images of product A or B are mixed together, for example, and not shown randomly in clusters in the middle of the study.
  • Recalibration is also possible in the middle of a study as often as desired. This ensures high-quality data, even if the test subjects move around a lot during the study.
  • For each type of stimulus, the complete user experience can be recorded (e.g., mouse clicks, keyboard entries, user video, and audio). This provides valuable contextual information for interpretation.

Special advantages of the Mangold Vision Analyzer

  • All raw data can be viewed and exported at any time for use in other programs.
  • Data can be recalibrated at any time. This is useful when it’s clear that the gaze data deviates from the expected positions (e.g., when using calibration test images in a study). Recalibration can be performed and reversed as often as desired without affecting the original raw data.
  • Data from all test participants can be filtered according to attribute values (questionnaires).
  • All results can be easily transferred to other programs via copy and paste.
  • It is possible to merge several projects retrospectively.
    • This allows work to be distributed across multiple eye trackers.
    • Tests can thus be carried out independently of each other in terms of time.
    • Merging is also possible for projects containing different stimuli. This feature allows you to adapt study designs to changed requirements and combine them with newer recordings without losing previously recorded data.

Additional Product Advantages

  • The Mangold Vision software includes a so-called “mouse-to-eye tracker”. This feature allows users to simulate eye tracking using the computer mouse (users are instructed to follow their gaze with the mouse). By comparing real eye tracking with the “mouse-to-eye” method, interesting cognitive experiments can be conducted and study designs tested without having to use the eye tracker.
  • Data can be imported from other eye-tracking systems (stationary and head-mounted systems) via CSV files.
  • Other devices and software systems in a test environment can be triggered during stimulus presentation by sending signals from Mangold Vision.
  • A message is displayed when the eyes are “lost.” This prevents data loss, as participants can then reposition themselves in front of the tracker on their own initiative.
  • During calibration, depending on the settings, you can switch between the real image seen by the eye tracker and a stylized view of the eye position. The experimenter can thus immediately identify any calibration issues (e.g., glare on glasses, hair in front of the eyes, poor lighting conditions, etc.).

Tell us about your project

We'd love to hear about your project and how Mangold Vision can help you.

Talk to an Expert

Software Functions

Comprehensive Analysis Tools

  1. Gaze Plot: Provides excellent insights into viewing behavior and gaze patterns, showing how participants explore visual content.

  2. Focus Map: It provides researchers, designers, and developers with valuable information by clearly showing what subjects actually saw.

  3. Heat Map: Instantly visualizes “high-energy” areas where participants focused their attention.

  4. Areas of Interest (AOI): Easily define specific regions in images or videos for statistical analysis with automatic calculation of key indicators.

  5. AOI Gaze Patterns: Visualize the order in which participants visited specific AOIs.

  6. Eye Blink Detection: Automated eye blink detection based on collected gaze data.

  7. Statistical Analysis: Generate statistical results with one click for easy data interpretation, reporting, and study comparison.

  8. Export and Visualization: Offers various data export options and sophisticated charting functions.

Mangold Vision eye tracking system overview

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Mangold Vision Eye Tracking System suitable for studies involving children?
Yes, since the level of accuracy achievable in such studies typically suits the study design, studies can be conducted with even very young children. In preferential looking studies, for example, it is not important “which line the child reads on a website,” but rather “where the child looks.” Small children can be seated in a baby seat during the test to direct their attention and ensure a clearly defined setup. Older children, adolescents, and adults are given appropriate freedom of movement. Eye-tracking studies with children have been conducted using the Mangold Vision system in the past and have produced meaningful results. Examples include Bolden et al. (2015): “How young children view mathematical representations: a study using eye-tracking technology” and Rader et al. (2013): “Dynamic synchronous gestures assist word learning in low-functioning ASD children.”
What do the so-called “head box” specifications mean for an eye tracker?
The “head box” refers to the spatial area in which the eye tracker can accurately capture both eyes in focus and suitable for image processing. This information should be understood as the freedom of movement of the head (right/left, up/down, and forward/backward). Since the camera is not limited to these exact areas, the freedom of movement may vary in practice.
Does a larger “head box” or greater freedom of movement provide more accurate data?
No, because the head box only indicates the area in which the camera can capture a high-quality image. The accuracy of the data depends on other factors, including subject movement during calibration and testing.
What influences the accuracy of eye-tracking tests?
Calibration and behavior: Every eye tracker uses calibration to calculate a mathematical model that determines the position of the eyes in relation to the screen. The more closely the test subject adheres to this model during a session, the more accurate the data. We recommend that test subjects behave naturally at all times - not staring tensely at the screen or moving their eyes without moving their head. Peripheral perception and fatigue: If a test subject is tired and stares straight ahead, they may perceive content peripherally while the eye tracker cannot measure correctly. Ask users to look at content actively and consciously. Image processing speed: The Mangold Vision system processes images directly on the device with a real-time timestamp, allowing quick compensation of head movements. The VT3 mini headbox measures 31.5 x 22.5 x 35 cm (WxHxD).
How far away should I be from the screen?
The ideal distance is 60 cm, as this is what the mathematical model is optimized for. This corresponds to approximately 45-80 cm for the VT3 mini system's headbox.
How is calibration performed with the Mangold Vision Eye Tracker?
A five-, nine-, or sixteen-point calibration is performed at the beginning of each test. Explanatory texts or images can also be displayed beforehand. Based on our experience, a 5-point calibration is sufficient since many other factors play a role.
Is the Mangold Vision VT3 mini Eye Tracker portable?
Yes, the VT3 mini Eye Tracker is highly portable. Measuring 25.4 x 2.6 x 3.2 cm, it is small and lightweight. Its metal housing makes it robust, making it ideal for field trials.
Can people who wear glasses or contact lenses participate in eye tracking studies?
Yes, with the Mangold Vision Eye Tracker. Glasses or contact lenses are not a problem unless the lighting conditions cause reflections that make the pupil “invisible.” The same applies to glasses with very small frames that cover the pupils with slight movement. Blinking and looking away are not problems because the gaze tracker quickly finds the eyes again.
Can the eye tracker be used with different screens, such as a laptop, computer, or tablet screen?
Yes. One advantage of the VT3 mini eye tracker is its compatibility with a wide variety of desktop monitors and laptops up to 22 inches (56 cm) in size, making it highly customizable.
How is data transferred between the eye tracker and the computer?
This is not an issue because only a small amount of data needs to be transferred: the coordinates already calculated by the tracker's onboard computer. The VT3 Mini Eye Tracker can be connected via USB 2.0 or 3.0 and does not require an additional power supply.
How user-friendly is the VT3 Eye Tracking System?
Setup and transport: The VT3 Mini Eye Tracker is small (25.4 x 2.6 x 3.2 cm), lightweight (0.21 kg), and protected by a robust aluminum housing. It can be placed directly under the monitor or clipped under the screen using the included magnetic strip, and connected with a single USB cable. Data collection: Calibration and data recording are fully automatic. If the tracker loses sight of the eyes, a warning message appears. The experimenter can also check live whether the tracker is detecting the eyes.
Which factor has the greatest influence on eye-tracking data?
The design of the study has the greatest influence - whether the tasks are appropriate for the test subjects and can answer the desired questions. Another important factor is the test administrator, who encourages subjects to behave naturally while staying focused. All other factors are technical conditions ensuring the tracker can capture the eyes stably and the subject's position remains close to the calibration state.
What stimuli can be presented with Mangold Vision?
Many different types of stimuli can be presented via computer, including images, films, and test procedures. All activities that can be performed on screen can also be presented, such as web browsing and using applications (games, chats, forums, social media, and collaborative work applications).
Can a video with sound and images be recorded at the same time?
Yes, user behavior can be recorded using a webcam and microphone. During evaluation, the video runs synchronously with the recorded gaze data.
What evaluation options are available in Mangold Vision?
The gaze path can be displayed in various ways, such as heat maps, gaze plots, bee swarms, and focus maps. When combined with sociodemographic or questionnaire data, complex questions can be easily evaluated (e.g., “Show the AOI evaluation of all users up to age X who answered Y in the questionnaire”). Results and raw data can also be exported to other programs.
Team research

Tell us about your project

We'd love to hear about your project and how Mangold Vision can help you.

Talk to an Expert
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