Many digital “eyes” and “ears” observe us in our daily life. Cameras watch us on the streets, and smart speakers listen to us at home. Researcher Mark Teyssier seems to have taken the term “digital eye” too literally and created what is arguably the strangest webcam in the world called the Eyecam.

The device, quite accurately repeating the appearance of the part of the head around the eye and the eye itself, is capable of blinking, expressing emotions with facial expressions, and even following the user with a glance. In general, it looks quite interesting, albeit creepy. This project is part of a study by the Laboratory of Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Saarland. She is researching a number of interesting questions, including how a user’s interaction with devices and their behavior would change if they were more human. What would be different if observing us became more tangible and obvious?

Note that for enthusiasts looking to replicate an unusual device, Teissier has published the Eyecam design and software on Github. Detailed instructions for creating a device are published on the researcher’s website. There are also descriptions of other strange things, such as a phone with a moving finger and a case covered in fake flesh.