The COVID-19 pandemic last year showed us that technology has evolved enough that most of our activities can be done remotely. Working, studying, shopping, exercising: all of a sudden, we had to do it all at home, relying on our computers, tablets and smartphones.
However, with lockdown’s ending in many countries, there is now discussion about the indispensable value that in-person contact can have in our lives and in our work – including in the eye tracking research market. It has been proven that it is possible to conduct research remotely, but now that we have the option to go back to doing in-lab research will we go back to it?
A sudden shift
Last year the research community was caught by surprise when the first lockdown happened and forced everyone to adapt to the pandemic situation. At first there was shock, followed by time for all companies to understand how to react. According to Philipp Reiter, partner and COO of market research institute eye square.
“A lot of budgets were cut or frozen due to insecurity of the situation. At eye square our focus was already on online business, so many clients adapted quickly to digital research”, explained Philipp Reiter. For eye tracking research, though, many of the already well established solutions on the market have become nonviable with the pandemic situation.
Wearable eye trackers like glasses, for example, were set aside for months, making space for online research tools such as webcam and smartphone. But even with the technology available, remote research presents its challenges: researchers have to recreate the in-lab experience while being user friendly and protecting the privacy of participants.
Remote experience
The first half of 2020 was challenging to any researcher, being even more of a struggle for those who were not adapted to conduct studies remotely. “Some companies did not bother to adjust soon enough, thinking it would be a short-term event”, said Dr. Antje Venjakob. The psychologist and CEO of the eye tracking start-up Oculid explains:“Conducting remote research involves setting up a new infrastructure, figuring out which methods can be applied online and making sure the results are accurate while protecting the participants’ privacy”.
New opportunities
The shift from in-lab to remote testing not only forced researchers to get creative and find new solutions, but also presented opportunities that have a big chance to change the research landscape for good. In 2021, almost 70% of all retail website visits worldwide came from smartphones, making mobile testing and usability more important now than ever before.
Besides the change of consumers’ behaviour, there has been a change in the consumers’ profile. Older people who did not shop online before were motivated to learn how to do their groceries and buy other essential items through the internet. In the US, 65-years old and older spent 60% more in 2020 online than they did in the previous year.
The growth of online and mobile markets creates opportunities for companies to invest in remote studies without compromising the accuracy of the results. For the eye tracking market, it was a chance to show how remote research can be more practical and as reliable as an in-lab setting.
A more diverse landscape
The pandemic was a watershed moment for the eye tracking market. While many researchers had to adapt to remote research and realized that they can save time, money and effort while still achieving their goals, some sectors confirmed that they still benefit from in-lab research and wearables.
As many businesses return to the office, it is undeniable the impact that the pandemic had accelerating technology and remote work. For eye tracking, that did not mean the end of in-lab research, but rather the incorporation of new methodologies and a more diverse and inclusive landscape.
