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Home » Products » Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking

Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking — Eye tracking with a standard webcam

Tobii software determines from the webcam image which point on the screen a study participant is looking at. No extra device: in the lab, in a classroom, or online in the participant's home — and you design and analyze the entire study in Tobii Pro Lab.

Request a quote How it works

Built-in laptop camera or external webcam
On-site and online studies in Tobii Pro Lab
Validated at Uppsala University

A study participant in front of a screen; lines from her eyes indicate the estimated gaze point on the displayed web page

Eye tracking with a webcam

How an ordinary webcam detects where you look

Eye tracking measures which point on the screen a person is looking at, and for how long. This is usually done by a separate device with an infrared illuminator. Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking does it in software alone: all you need is a webcam above the screen, and the image of the face is analyzed by a model developed by Tobii (Tobii Nexus technology).

A study participant at a laptop with a webcam mounted on the top edge of the screen, seen from the camera's point of view

Camera · 30 frames/s

How is this different from an eye tracker? A dedicated eye tracker illuminates the eye with infrared light and measures the reflection on the cornea. A webcam “sees” the eyes the way a person does — so it is less precise, but requires no additional device.

Data stream

What it records: 30 samples per second

Each camera frame yields one timestamped row of data. From these rows, Tobii Pro Lab derives fixations, heat maps, and metrics for areas of interest (AOIs).

Illustrative values generated in the browser — not a device recording. Data fields according to the Tobii specification.

30 Hzsampling frequency — one gaze sample per camera frame

What the webcam does not measure

pupil diameter (pupillometry)
left and right eye separately — the result is combined for both
eye openness and eye images
TTL markers from other devices

A dedicated eye tracker provides this data: Spark, Fusion, Spectrum.

An external webcam mounted on the top edge of a monitor

Setup: camera, lighting, distance

Data quality depends on the camera, lighting, the participant's posture, and the distance from the screen. Tobii recommends:

1920 × 1080, 30 fpsrecommended external webcam, 70–80° field of view; minimum 1280 × 720

Centered above the screencamera mounted on the top edge; screen ideally up to 17″

Approx. 60 cmfrom the screen; operating range 25–85 cm

Even light on the facea bright room, no window behind the participant

Photos: Tobii. Method description and parameters: tobii.com (Webcam Eye Tracking — Local on-site research) and Tobii Connect articles on webcam setup.

Software · Tobii Pro Lab

On-site or online — analysis always in Tobii Pro Lab

Webcam eye tracking is not a separate application. It runs in Tobii Pro Lab, the same software used with Tobii eye trackers: you design, record, and analyze your study with the same tools and metrics. You can collect data in two ways.

A researcher at a monitor running Tobii Pro Lab; in the background, a study participant at a computer with a webcam

A child wearing headphones takes part in an online session on a laptop at home

On-site study on a single computer

For the lab, the classroom, or field studies on laptops — wherever consistent conditions and researcher supervision matter.

Design in the Design module: stimuli, order, conditions
Recording in Pro Lab — you select Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking as the eye tracker; calibration before the session
Analysis in Pro Lab: AOIs, heat maps, metrics

Online study on participants' computers

Participants take part from home, with their own webcam — no trip to the lab. More people, from different locations.

Design and launch via Tobii Sticky — the participant receives a link
Setup and calibration guided step by step on the participant's screen
Analysis — you import the experiment and data into Pro Lab (Distributed Online project)

Tobii Pro Lab, Design module: study timeline with trial blocks and a conditions table

Design without programming

Images, video, web pages, and text on a timeline; randomization and trial blocks. You can later run the same project with a dedicated eye tracker.

Tobii Pro Lab, Record module: Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking selected as the eye tracker, eye position preview

Record with a webcam as with an eye tracker

Since version 26.18, Pro Lab officially supports Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking — you select it in the Record module just like an eye tracker.

Tobii Pro Lab, Analyze module: fixation duration chart for three stimulus categories

Analyze with the same metrics

Areas of interest, heat maps, gaze plots, time to first fixation; export to R or SPSS.

License: Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking has its own key, tied to one computerTobii Pro Lab: Full or Screen-Based edition; perpetual or annual subscriptionOnline: Distributed Online editionOS: WindowsMore about Tobii Pro Lab

Webcam Eye Tracking, Pro Lab Online, and Sticky — how they differ

All three use a webcam and come from Tobii, but they serve different work. Sticky is a separate platform for marketing and consumer research; Webcam Eye Tracking is a research tool in Pro Lab.

This page

Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking in Pro Lab

Where you collect data: on-site, on the station computer
Who it is for: scientific research and teaching: experiment design, controlled conditions
Results: in Tobii Pro Lab

This page

Pro Lab — Distributed Online edition

Where you collect data: online, with participants' webcams; study launched via Sticky
Who it is for: scientific research with a distributed group of participants
Results: imported into Tobii Pro Lab, the same metrics as in the lab

Separate product

Sticky by Tobii

Where you collect data: online, on participants' computers and phones
Who it is for: testing ads, packaging, shelves, and websites — marketing and UX teams
Results: in the browser, on the Sticky platform

Sticky by Tobii →

Tobii Pro Lab screenshots and photos: Tobii. Features and editions: tobii.com (Tobii Pro Lab, “What's new” 26.10 and 26.18) and Tobii Connect.

Why Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking from Interlab

Webcam, eye tracker, and software from one manufacturer

Webcam eye tracking is also offered by subscription-based multimodal platforms, which connect to other manufacturers' eye trackers only in the lab. With Tobii, the webcam, eye trackers, and Pro Lab form a single path: a study started with a webcam can be repeated with an eye tracker in the same project.

Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking from Interlab compared with a subscription platform with a webcam eye tracking module
Feature	Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking from Interlab	Subscription platform with webcam module
Analysis software license	Tobii Pro Lab — choice of perpetual license or annual subscription	mandatory core module + separately priced webcam module; fee renewed every year
Moving to an eye tracker	the same experiment and the same analysis in Pro Lab with a Tobii eye tracker (Spark, Fusion, Spectrum) — the manufacturer provides for verifying online study results on Tobii Pro Spark	eye trackers from other manufacturers; according to the platform vendor, eye tracking capabilities depend on the connected hardware
Validation	study by an Uppsala University team: 101 participants, in the lab and outside it, compared with an infrared eye tracker; preprint publicly available	validation report published by the platform vendor

Subscription platform: a popular multimodal platform with a webcam eye tracking module. Data according to manufacturers' websites, as of October 2026.

Webcam or eye tracker?

Both methods have their place — the research question decides: the size of the analyzed areas, the metrics you need, and where the study takes place. We help you assess this before purchase.

Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking

large areas of interest and comparisons of attention between them
many participants, many locations, online studies
teaching and pilot studies
a setup with no additional hardware

Dedicated Tobii eye tracker

small areas, e.g., words in a text
pupillometry, saccades, higher sampling frequencies
synchronization with EEG and physiology (TTL, BIOPAC)

Tobii Pro Spark Tobii Pro Fusion Tobii Pro Spectrum

What you get from Interlab

Webcam eye tracking with implementation, not just a license

We help you assess whether a webcam is enough for your study, set up the station, and stay with your team after the purchase.

Book a demo Request a quote

Methodological adviceWe review AOI size, metrics, and the participant group with you — and tell you plainly when an eye tracker would be better.
Test before you buyA demo on your paradigm — you will see webcam data in Tobii Pro Lab before you decide.
Authorized Tobii partner in PolandAn official sales channel for Tobii Pro Lab and Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking licenses.
Implementation and trainingWebcam selection, station setup, lighting, and calibration; Pro Lab training for your team.
A lab for laterWhen your research grows: Tobii eye trackers and BIOPAC physiology from one supplier, in the same Pro Lab.
Grant supportTechnical descriptions and justifications for grant applications and tender specifications.
Local support in PolandTechnical and methodological support after purchase — no intermediaries.
References in PolandEye tracking installations at Polish universities and companies — lab contacts on request.

Accuracy · Uppsala University validation

How much you can expect from a webcam

A team from Uppsala University compared Tobii Nexus with an infrared eye tracker (Tobii Pro Nano) in 101 participants — in the lab and outside it. The photo below shows both methods at the scale of a typical four-image study: the cross is where the participant is looking, the blue dots are successive samples, and the red circle is the mean error (accuracy).

A participant in front of a monitor showing four images: an orchid, asparagus, T-shirts, and an ambulance — a typical study stimulus with areas of interest

Webcam: 1.64° · 0.85°

1.64°median webcam accuracy in the lab — deviation of the gaze point from the target

0.85°webcam precision — spread of successive samples

0.96° · 0.68°infrared eye tracker in the same study

3–5°accuracy range commonly reported for webcam-based systems (per Tobii)

How to read the angles. At a distance of approx. 60 cm from the screen, 1° is approx. 1 cm on the screen. An accuracy of 1.64° corresponds to a typical deviation of approximately 1.7 cm from where the participant is looking. An image several centimeters wide is a safe area of interest; a single word in a text is not.

Outside the lab, webcam results degraded slightly, mainly in precision, while the proportion of valid data remained high. Accuracy was better at the center of the screen and almost independent of stimulus background brightness. The authors: the webcam provides stable, interpretable data for many AOI-based paradigms, such as preferential-looking tasks; infrared eye trackers retain higher precision.

“We were surprised by how well Tobii Nexus performed right out of the box. This technology marks an important step forward for eye tracking research.”

Source: K. Astor et al., “Toward Scalable Eye-Tracking: Validating the Tobii Nexus Webcam-Based System”, PsyArXiv preprint, 2026; quote and 3–5° range: tobii.com. Illustrative visualization: sample spread generated in the browser at angular scale (27″ monitor, 65 cm distance). Photo: Tobii.

Applications

How researchers use webcam eye tracking

It works best where the question concerns attention to larger screen elements and where the number of participants and the accessibility of the study matter.

UX study: a participant tests a website on a laptop

UX research

Websites, apps, dashboards, onboarding screens, and prototypes — remotely too, together with tasks and a survey.

Education and teaching

Attention to e-learning materials, videos, and diagrams; eye tracking in student classes without separate hardware.

A participant views a woman's face on screen — a study of responses to social stimuli

Social research

Attention to faces, social scenes, and emotional content within defined areas.

A participant in front of a monitor with four images — a visual preference study

Cognitive psychology

Attention, perception, search, and decision-making — with on-screen stimuli and AOI-level metrics.

A researcher at a computer runs a supervised research session

Clinical and developmental research

Scientific, supervised research only: social attention, neurodevelopmental patterns, on-screen cognitive tasks.

An engineer evaluates a design interface on a monitor

Human factors

Dashboards, alerts, maps, operational displays, and training videos — with distributed participant groups.

Photos and scope of applications: Tobii (Webcam Eye Tracking page).

Specifications

Technical specifications

Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking in on-site mode (Tobii Pro Lab). Accuracy and precision values from the manufacturer's table apply to optimal conditions; for the Uppsala study results, see Accuracy.

A researcher and a participant at a laptop with a webcam on the top edge of the screen; the screen shows a study question with a landscape photo

Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking technical specifications
Measurement
Method	appearance-based gaze estimation from RGB images of a standard webcam; timestamps and on-screen point coordinates
Sampling frequency	30 Hz
Accuracy	1.85°in optimal conditions
Precision	0.44° RMSin optimal conditions
Eyes	combined gaze point for both eyes; no separate data for each eye
Data per sample	timestamp, gaze point, gaze origin (eye position)no pupil diameter, eye openness, or eye images
Latency	1 frameon a reference computer with Intel Core i7-12800H
Calibration	participant calibration supported and recommended
Participant and setup
Distance from screen	25–85 cm; optimally approx. 60 cm
Freedom of head movement	22 × 15 cm at 25 cm; 40 × 44 cm at 55–85 cmhead movement up to 20 cm/s; after calibration the participant should sit still
Screen	optimally up to 17″ (16:9)
Webcam	built-in or external, centered above the screenminimum 1280 × 720 at 78° field of view, 30 fps; ideally external 1920 × 1080, 70–80°, 30 fps or more
Software and integration
Software	Tobii Pro Lab (version 26.18 or later), Tobii Pro Eye Tracker Manager; online — Pro Lab Distributed Online and Tobii Sticky
Operating system	Windows
Synchronization	TTL input not available; timestamps from the computer clock
License	Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking key tied to one computer, separate from the Pro Lab license

Source: tobii.com — Local Webcam Eye Tracking, technical specifications; Tobii Connect — “Get Started with Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking in Tobii Pro Lab”. As of October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is webcam eye tracking?

It is the measurement of where a person is looking, performed by software on the image from an ordinary webcam — without a separate infrared eye tracker. The research workflow stays the same as in classic eye tracking: experiment design, gaze recording, and analysis in Tobii Pro Lab.

How is it different from Sticky by Tobii?

Sticky is a separate online platform for testing ads, packaging, and websites — with a participant panel and results in the browser. Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking is a research tool in Tobii Pro Lab: you record on-site, on the station computer, while online studies are launched via Sticky and analyzed in Pro Lab (Distributed Online edition). About Sticky: Sticky by Tobii.

What webcam do I need?

The minimum is 1280 × 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, and a field of view of approx. 78°. The best results come from a good external 1920 × 1080 webcam centered above the screen; older built-in laptop cameras usually perform worse. We will help you choose a webcam for your setup.

How accurate is webcam eye tracking?

In the Uppsala University study, the webcam achieved an accuracy of 1.64° and a precision of 0.85° in the lab (infrared eye tracker in the same study: 0.96° and 0.68°). This is sufficient for analyzing larger areas of interest and comparing attention between them. Studies that require pixel-level precision — e.g., reading individual words — require a dedicated eye tracker.

Can I combine the webcam with EEG, GSR, or other signals?

Tobii Webcam Eye Tracking has no TTL input, and timestamps come from the computer clock. For multimodal studies with precise synchronization, we recommend a Tobii eye tracker — we integrate it with BIOPAC physiology into a single station.

Does it work on macOS?

On-site mode runs in Tobii Pro Lab, i.e., on Windows. In online studies, participants take part via the browser on their own computers.

What are the main limitations?

Results depend on webcam quality, lighting, the participant's posture, and the distance from the screen; movement after calibration reduces accuracy. The webcam does not measure the pupil or each eye separately and samples 30 times per second, so it is not suited to saccade analysis. Under controlled on-site conditions, data quality is more predictable than online.

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