Behind every piece of technology we build is a team of talented people who make it possible. The thinkers, builders and problem-solvers who turn ideas into something real. This article is part of our new Team behind the tech series, where we introduce you to the brilliant people who fuel our company and shape what we create every day.
Meet Dr Tslil Ofir, a Research Scientist in the Research team.
Tslil plays a key role at Cineon, working across research and development to shape how behavioural science is applied within our products.
She leads the development of research protocols and oversees data collection, translating complex findings into practical insights. Her work supports both the Empathic Learning Engine and Cineon’s immersive XR training experiences.
Tslil has contributed to several major research initiatives, including the Gold Data 2 and 3 projects. Each involved over 100 participants and generated eye-tracking data that continues to inform the development of our AI models.
What drew you to research?
I’ve always been interested in understanding why people think and behave the way they do – that’s what first drew me to psychology. During my undergraduate degree, I got involved in a few research projects, and realised I genuinely enjoyed research and could see myself doing it in the long term.
What I like most is that research isn’t repetitive. Every project brings a different challenge and the opportunity to learn something new. It often involves examining a problem from multiple angles and finding creative ways to investigate questions that don’t have straightforward answers.
What’s been your journey to Cineon?
I completed my BA in Psychology at Bar-Ilan University, where I also worked as a Research Assistant on projects examining non-invasive brain stimulation in ADHD and interventions to improve social and language skills in adolescents with ASD.
I then went on to pursue a PhD in Psychology at the University of Manchester. My research looked at how language influences cognition, and more specifically, how reading direction affects language processing and attention. I used a combination of cross-linguistic behavioural experiments, eye-tracking, and non-invasive brain stimulation to investigate these questions.
During this time, I became interested in using technology to understand cognition, with eye-tracking standing out as it provides a direct view of attention and processing.
After finishing my PhD, I joined Cineon as a Research Scientist, where I work at the intersection of behavioural science, eye-tracking, and AI.
What motivates you?
I enjoy making sense of complex problems. Much of our work starts with a broad question or objective, and I like working out how to translate those objectives into studies that can generate meaningful data.
At Cineon, I find it particularly rewarding to see how the research contributes to a larger goal. There’s something very satisfying about designing a study, collecting and analysing the data, and then seeing how the findings help inform the development of our technologies.
What are you working on, and what impact does this have on the products?
I’m currently working on a few projects with the Research team. One is a systematic review of the existing research on machine-learning models that use eye-tracking data to infer cognitive and emotional states. Another is a paper we’re currently writing up from a large-scale eye-tracking study we recently completed at Cineon, in which participants performed assessment-style tasks while wearing eye-tracking glasses.
Alongside this, I also contribute to research proposals that help shape future studies, data collection activities, and new directions for the team.
Across all this work, the goal is to collect high-quality data, better understand the relationship between eye movements and cognition and emotion, and improve how our models use those signals. Our research provides the data needed to train and evaluate our models, while also helping us identify which behavioural markers are most useful and what they reveal about cognition and performance. That knowledge helps us improve our models and supports the development of our products.
Through careful research and a thoughtful approach to complex problems, Tslil helps translate behavioural science into insights that shape what we build. She is one of the people behind the technology at Cineon, contributing to experiences that are grounded in evidence and designed around how people think and feel
