Nonhuman primate
Nonhuman primate

Eye tracking nonhuman primates

Eye tracking in nonhuman primates provides insights about decision making, emotion recognition, attention, and social behavior.

Why use eye tracking?

Pupil center corneal reflection (PCCR) is one of the most accurate and non-invasive ways to measure eye movements. Eye trackers using this technique typically deliver a data stream in real-time containing raw data, such as gaze origin, gaze point, and pupil diameter.

Tobii nonhuman primate

Reliability in a range of settings

When conducting eye tracking research on nonhuman primates, it is important that your solutions ensure reliability across a variety of locations and scenarios. Whether you are conducting research in a controlled laboratory setting or in an animal enclosure like a zoo or sanctuary, Tobii has built a range of eye tracking solutions that deliver robust data without compromising freedom of movement or ease of use.

Chimpanzee in the jungle

Studying cognitive processes with eye tracking

The eye tracking solution and a dedicated application, like our software Tobii Pro Lab, can further process the data to draw valuable conclusions on a wide variety of cognitive processes in NHPs, including:

A monkey looking at an object

Attention

Determine what stimuli capture the primate’s attention, how long attention is sustained on objects or locations, and how attention shifts in response to changing stimuli.

A baby monkey and mother

Cognitive reasoning

Study how nonhuman primates gather and process information to make decisions, solve problems, or make choices.

Monkey looking at a mirror

Face processing

Explore how primates’ gaze patterns vary when viewing familiar versus unfamiliar faces and how they respond to different emotional expressions.

A group of monkeys

Social preference

Track where a primate directs its gaze during social interactions and learns about preferences for specific individuals, group dynamics, and social hierarchies.

A monkey eating food

Motivation

Monitor gaze patterns in tasks involving rewards or incentives and identify the most salient and motivating stimuli for primates.

Fields of research

Eye tracking offers a possibility to assess human and nonhuman primates using the same or similar conditions, which provides a translational opportunity to bridge the gap between basic and clinical investigations. Our noninvasive and restraint-free eye tracking technology allows researchers to collect data in custom laboratory and natural settings while being supportive of the primate’s welfare.
Eye tracking opens research possibilities in:

  • Cognitive neuroscience

  • System neuroscience

  • Clinical and translational neuroscience

  • Ethology

  • Behavioral psychology

  • Cognitive psychology

Research setups for nonhuman primate studies

Tobii Pro Spectrum eye tracker with a screenshot

Screen-based for the lab

The visual stimuli are displayed on a screen, in a laboratory environment, using the screen-based eye trackers Tobii Pro Spectrum and Tobii Pro Lab.

Monkey exhibit at a zoo

Screen-based for the field

The visual stimuli are displayed on a screen in a zoo or a primate sanctuary using Tobii Pro Spectrum and Tobii Pro Lab.

An infant in front of Tobii Pro Spectrum eye tracker looks at a researcher with poppets

Standalone for the lab

The subjects observe or interact with objects or stationary physical scenes in a laboratory environment, using Tobii Pro Spectrum and Tobii Pro Lab.

Chimpanzee in the jungle

Scientific publications

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

Discover the latest trends in eye tracking for Nonhuman primates
by exploring our scientific publication library.

Our products for Nonhuman primate research

More information

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.