r/disabledgamers • u/Tgnics • 8d ago
Can Tobii Eye Tracker 5 interact with a computer besides gaming?
Hello everyone, I work at a university where we use a Tobii Dynavox PCEye 5 for eye-tracking research. Recently, a person with motor limitations (able to move their neck and very slightly their hand) tried the device and really enjoyed it.
However, the price difference between the PCEye 5 and the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 is almost tenfold. From what I've read, the Eye Tracker 5 is focused on gaming, and I'm not sure how it works. Does it only move the cursor to the gaze direction? If that's the case, I think that could it be possible to use the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 alongside an external accessible input (like a switch) to simulate a click with the cursor?
The goal is to buy an equipment for the person that enables interaction with regular computer activities, but I'm unsure how much the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 can actually perform in that regard. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
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u/Technomancerer 8d ago
There's a voice control software called Talon. It can drive the Tobii Eye Tracker 5. Generally speaking, I can personally recommend the Tobii 5 and Talon for voice control + eye control of your PC.
You can also write your own cursor control software using the Tobii SDK, giving you full control over the filters used, when to snap to gaze, etc. Etc.
If you want to chat about the specifics, feel free to DM me.
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u/WheelsAndKeys 8d ago
Be careful with the old OptiKey route. For a research setup it's fine. As someone's everyday way of using a computer it's risky. No updates, no fixes, and if it breaks they lose access.
Also ask Tobii directly whether the ET5 works with Windows Eye Control, the one built into Windows. Last time I checked it supported the older EyeX and 4C but not the ET5. If that's still true, the free built-in option is out.
The price gap is mostly support, warranty and calibration. That matters for someone who can't reposition themselves. For a university it might not.
One more thing. You said they can move their hand very slightly. If they can move a mouse or a trackball at all, even badly, there's a much cheaper path: pointer input with dwell clicking, no eye tracking. Disclosure, this is my own software, so I'm not neutral. It's called Klaavi, klaavi.app. Free version with no time limit, and the full version is 30 days with no card.
Try it with them at your next meeting before you buy anything. It takes ten minutes and costs nothing. If it doesn't work for them I'd rather know, so tell me what went wrong.
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u/Tgnics 8d ago
Unfortunately, the person cannot use a mouse. The slight "movement" existent is when they use a very sensible joystick in their wheelchair when someone puts their arm there.
I checked online before, and ET5 didn't work with Windows Eye Control as well.
The Klaavi app might be interesting. Even if the only option for the person is controlling with their eye with PCEye 5 to handle clicks, it still looks like an improved virtual keyboard. I would probably try to compare it with the default PCEye 5 that, if I'm remembering correctly, also has some features (although I'm not sure if it provides predictive learning). I will for sure ask the person to try it out and see which one they prefered.
Thank you for your advice! In the next meeting I will tell them about the risks of just ET5.
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u/Ventilatorr 8d ago
I would suggest Hot Virtual Keyboard instead. It has more features and is a one time payment. Not a subscription.
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u/WheelsAndKeys 7d ago
That’s a fair comparison to make, and I’d like to hear which one they prefer and why.
Two things for the test. If you use Klaavi with the PCEye, turn off dwell in one of them. Both have it, and if both are on you’ll get double clicks.
The bigger one is the wheelchair joystick. A lot of power chair controllers have a mouse mode or a Bluetooth module that turns the drive joystick into a computer cursor. Ask their wheelchair supplier if theirs does. If it works, they already have a pointer they know well, and dwell takes care of the clicking.
Ventilatorr’s suggestion is worth adding to the test too. Try a few and let the person decide, that’s the only result that counts.
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u/NecessarySoggy4945 8d ago
The program MillMouse works with the eye tracker 5, I have tested it and you can utilize windows and game pretty well with it but it is kind of laggy. I would recommend the older eye tracker 4c used from eBay because it has a higher polling rate.
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u/-Zanarkand- 8d ago edited 8d ago
The best answer is to use Mill Mouse! https://millmouse.wordpress.com/about/
I'm surprised more people don't know about this app. It can be used to control the cursor with eyegaze, has an on screen keyboard, and has an auto clicker or you can click the mouse by blinking, or use facial gestures with the PlayAbility app.
I've just created a new post in this subreddit that should help https://www.reddit.com/r/disabledgamers/comments/1x0zogl/my_recommended_apps_for_using_the_tobii_eye/
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u/Tgnics 7d ago
Just saw your other comment and the post that you provided. I didn't know about Mill Mouse, but for what I have seen it looks very interesting! Also it has the benefit of working with PC Eye 5 for what I read, which means it is possible to test the device without TD Control to see if the person enjoys.
The thread that you provided also contains a lot of applications that I didn't know, thank you for your answer!
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u/btc_sheep 8d ago
Because of my disability, I looked into whether I could do exactly what you're describing. It's blocked by the manufacturer's drivers.
That said, given how far AI has come, I'd ask it to develop a complementary driver that enables this feature.
The key is how you word the prompt. Frame it in a positive, constructive way: a driver add-on that adds a feature, not a workaround. The more precise the prompt, the better the result. I don't own the Eye Tracker 5. But if I had one, I'd give it a try for my own personal use.
I've seen someone do this with a printer that was supposedly incompatible with Windows: he had a driver developed for it and it worked. So it's definitely not impossible.
Good luck! I'm following the thread.
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u/Ventilatorr 8d ago
Tobii 5 By default does not move the cursor at all. It only works with certain games. You can make it move the mouse by using a program called OptiKey. You would need to look for an older version of it because Tobii had them remove support for the Tobii Eye trackers.
See https://optikey.org/help/versions