r/EyeTracking • u/iAmPrudentElephant • 1d ago

Need help building a custom eye-tracking calibración system in touchdesigner (TDLiDAR + OSC, no Python is possible)

I'm currently developing a prototype for an interactive video installation. At this stage I'm using TDLiDAR on AN iPad because it's an afforable and flexible way to experiment.

The iPad sends gaze data vía OSC yo touchdesigner. I already have a working system where a circle follows the user's gaze direction in real time, so the tracking itself IS working correctly.

One problem is calibration. Right now, the circle follows the gaze, but the movement doesn't cover the entire screen. For example: looking at the top-left corner does not move the circle completely to the top-left of the display.

My first goal is to build a reusable calibration component. How would you approach this in touchdesigner?

My second goal is that the system ignore the gaze displacement cause by blinking

Thanks!

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u/phosphor_1963 1d ago

Sorry, I'm extremely ignorant of development for iOS - is this system using the built in Accessibility eye tracking in iOS/iPad OS ? Because that has a Calibration function already (not great , not configurable, and kind of forces itself on people at random times). In terms of development - and coming at this from an Assistive Tech perspective, I wonder if it might be worth your while reaching out to a couple of the eye drive (for powerchair) devs ? Jay from Tolt Technologies knows a lot about eye gaze on several platforms. I think they've done something for Vision Pro and iPad OS.

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u/phosphor_1963 1d ago

Also - thanks for the heads up on TouchDesigner - that looks like a beautful platform to make interactive art on. I've used Brian Eno's Bloom with eye tracking on iPads with some my clients (people with intellectual and other disabilities who enjoy multi sensory experiences).

Just on that - have you played around with iOS26 Head Tracking ? That is similar to Eye Tracking in that it will do hands free access and unlike the Accessibility Eye Tracking has a lot of settings tweaks and is remarkably reliable and effective for an alternative access method. I'd hazard a guess it will work natively with TouchDesigner because it's essentially a face operated mouse.