Method and system for eye tracking using speckle patterns

A method of tracking a gaze of an eye of a user, the method comprising:

• obtaining a pre-calibrated speckle map of the eye of the user by:
• directing a first light beam at the eye, the eye reflecting a portion of the first light beam;
• detecting a plurality of first speckle patterns formed at a detector by the portion of the first light beam reflected by the eye, each of the plurality of first speckle patterns corresponding to a respective first position of the eye;
• recording a plurality of images of the eye using a camera, each of the plurality of images of the eye being recorded when a respective first speckle pattern is detected;
• determining the respective first position of the eye corresponding to each respective first speckle pattern based on the respective image of the eye;
• and
• storing the plurality of first speckle patterns and the corresponding first positions of the eye;
• determining a starting position of the eye using the pre-calibrated speckle map by:
• directing a second light beam at the eye, the eye reflecting a portion of the second light beam;
• detecting a plurality of second speckle patterns formed at the detector by the portion of the second light beam reflected by the eye;
• and
• determining the starting position of the eye based on comparisons between the plurality of second speckle patterns and the stored plurality of first speckle patterns and the stored corresponding first positions of the eye;
• and
• tracking movement of the eye relative to the starting position by:
• directing a third light beam at the eye, the eye reflecting a portion of the third light beam;
• detecting a plurality of third speckle patterns formed at the detector by the portion of the third light beam reflected by the eye, the plurality of third speckle patterns being detected at a predetermined frame rate;
• and
• tracking movement of the eye relative to the starting position by tracking the third plurality of speckle patterns from frame to frame.