Paper reading #22: User-oriented document summarization through vision-based eye-tracking

Comments

Reference Information

Reference Information
Title: User-oriented document summarization through vision-based eye-tracking
Authors: Songhua Xu, Hao Jiang, Francis C.M. Lau
Presentation Venue: IUI 2009: Proceedings of the 14th international conference on Intelligent user interfaces; February 8-11, 2009; Sanibel Island, Florida, USA

Summary

In this paper, the researchers seek to create an algorithm that allows eye-tracking to aid in summarizing documents for users. Their approach is by estimating the average time spent on a single word in the documents the user is reading and extrapolating that data into the likely-hood the user will find a sentence interesting. Equipment used consists in a web-cam, and the document viewer the authors made. After this setup, the user can start reading. They restrict the algorithm to only output a percentage of the sentences given the most attention. The percentage is based on the size of the document. 

The researchers compare their results of summarization to two popular methods of summarization - Microsoft Word AutoSummarize and the MEAD summerizer system.  The experiment involves using sets of literature from science and leisure

The researchers found that their algorithm could create more personalized summaries based on the user’s interests, especially for the entertainment/leisure articles, than the other two algorithms could.

 Discussion

This paper was really interesting to read. I appreciated the work presented, and the ideas put forward. They didn’t give much information on how the users responded to their system though. They just said it was better than the others.

The researchers note that in future studies they would like to make it so that their algorithm can work even on articles that the user has not read They also mention improving the overall algorithm and implementing a training system by allowing for feedback from the user to improve summarization.