What is an AOI? - Gazepoint

In eye-tracking research, an AOI (Area of Interest) is a user-defined region on a stimulus—such as an image, video, website, or interface—where gaze behavior is analyzed in detail. AOIs allow researchers and designers to move beyond raw gaze points and focus on meaningful regions that relate directly to their research questions.

With AOIs, you can answer questions such as:

Which regions attracted the most attention?
How long did participants look at a specific region?
In what order were different regions viewed?

AOIs are a foundational concept in eye-tracking analysis, transforming gaze data into clear insights.

AOIs in Gazepoint Analysis Software

Gazepoint Analysis provides a powerful and flexible AOI system designed to support both simple experiments and advanced research workflows. Here are some of the key AOI features available in Gazepoint Analysis.

Flexible AOI Creation

Gazepoint Analysis allows you to create AOIs directly on your stimuli using intuitive drawing tools. You can define AOIs as:

Rectangles – ideal for UI elements, text blocks, or buttons
Ellipses – useful for faces, objects, or naturally rounded regions

AOIs can be resized, repositioned, and refined at any time, making it easy to iterate as your analysis evolves.

Keyframe AOIs for Dynamic Stimuli

One of the most powerful AOI features in Gazepoint Analysis is keyframe-based AOIs.

Traditional AOIs are static, but many real-world stimuli are not. Objects move, interfaces animate, and videos change continuously. Keyframe AOIs solve this problem by allowing AOIs to move and change size over time.

With keyframe AOIs, you can:

Define AOI positions at specific timestamps (keyframes)
Automatically interpolate AOI movement between keyframes
Accurately track attention on moving objects or animated UI elements
Maintain precise AOI alignment throughout a video stimulus

Pixel or Percentage-Based AOI Units

Gazepoint Analysis allows AOI position and size to be defined using either:

Pixel units – for exact, fixed-resolution stimuli
Percentage of screen – for resolution-independent analysis

This flexibility ensures AOIs remain consistent across different display sizes and experimental setups.

Detailed AOI Metrics and Export

Once AOIs are defined, Gazepoint Analysis automatically computes a wide range of AOI-based metrics, including:

Fixation count
Total dwell time
Time to first fixation
Visit counts

For advanced analysis workflows, AOI data can be exported frame-by-frame, including AOI position, size, and viewed state. This makes it easy to integrate AOI results with external analysis tools, statistical software, or custom pipelines.

Why AOIs Matter

AOIs bridge the gap between raw eye-tracking data and real-world interpretation. By focusing analysis on meaningful regions, researchers can:

Reduce noise in gaze data
Compare attention across participants and conditions
Directly link gaze behavior to design decisions or research hypotheses

With flexible shapes, keyframe animation, and robust export options, AOIs in Gazepoint Analysis provide the precision and control needed for high-quality eye-tracking research.

Learn More

If you’re interested in using AOIs within Gazepoint Analysis to turn gaze data into meaningful insights, contact us to learn more!