In a move that is sure to stoke rumors about Apple’s future work in augmented and virtual reality technologies, Apple has acquired SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI), an eye-tracking firm, MacRumors reports.
The German company, which was founded in 1991, has done significant work in eye-tracking research with proprietary eyeglass hardware while also working on consumer-focused applications like eye-tracking for virtual reality. Last year, the company announced it had created an eye-tracking development kit for the HTC Vive VR headset.
Eye-tracking technology also has a number of use cases for headset-based AR and VR input. In October, Google acquired Eyefluence, an eye-tracking startup that uses eye movements to make interface selections.
Last month, Apple introduced ARKit, a set of APIs for developers interested in building augmented reality experiences. The company also brought VR development support to the company’s highest-end desktop, the iMac Pro.