In the eye of the beholder : museum technology that follows your eyes

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Being in the observer's eye, knowing what peaks people's interests, has always been an artist's wish.

Well, A museum in Italy, the Instituzione Bologna Musei, is testing out new technology that will allow exactly that, to get a glimpse into what people really look at when they visit. 

 

Using an array of cameras positioned near displayed works, analysts will be able to know what attracts the eyes of visitors, what elements in paintings garner the most attention and also how some works might get shunned or overlooked. By detecting emotions through facial expressions they will also get certain indications on how the art is received.

 

This could allow curators to adjust the layout, lighting and staging of the artworks, as to maximise attention and capture the public's interest.

 

"We have no magic formulas, but the more objective information we get, the more we can improve our offerings.” said Bologna Musei President Roberto Grandi to Bloomberg.com.

 

By allowing curators to know what people are the most responsive to, the system could also help museums boost revenue after more than a year of closure and financial drought.

 

They know, however, that they can't overly interpret the observed behaviours, as Grandi puts it: "A smile can mean different things in different cultures." The aim here is to adjust exhibits to people's eyes rather than allowing them to dictate what is to be displayed or not.

 

 

image: A ShareArt device next to a painting in the Istituzione Bologna Musei.Source: Istituzione Bologna Musei