EYE TRACKING AND GAZE FIXATION DETECTION SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS AND METHODS USING POLARIZED LIGHT

An eye tracking and gaze fixation detection system, includes an electronically scannable optical illumination system emits polarized near-infrared (NIR) light to a retina in an eye of a subject; an optical detection system arranged in an optical path of the NIR light after being reflected from the retina of the eye of the subject, the optical detection system providing a detection signal; and a signal processing system communicates with the optical detection system to receive the detection signal, wherein the optical illumination system emits the polarized NIR light to illuminate at least a portion of a scanning path, wherein the scanning path is a spatially closed loop across a portion of the retina in the eye of the subject that repeats periodically over time, and wherein the signal processing system is configured to determine at least one of a gaze direction and a gaze fixation based on the detection signal.