A facial tracking device including an illuminator and a photon detector. The illuminator configured to project a light toward a first portion of a head of a user and the photon detector configured to detect light reflected from a second portion of the head of the user. The facial tracking device further including a processor that is connected to the illuminator and photon detector and configured to cause the illuminator to project the light toward the head of the user, receive information from the photon detector, and determine a facial expression of the user.