It is important to adjust the eye tracking settings in the TouchChat software to work best for the individual who will be using it.

Important! Because eye tracking depends on the user’s eye movement capabilities, these instructions only cover the setup basics. You may need to refine your settings several times. We suggest changing one setting at a time.

To change a setting:

1. Choose Menu and then Settings.
2. Under Hiru, select Enable Hiru and then select On. The eye tracking settings will be

3. Select the setting you want to change. A list of options will be
4. Select the option you
5. Choose Done.

Available Eye Tracking Settings

Trigger Action

The action that will make an activation. When you look at the item you want, the cursor appears on that item or the item is highlighted. The selected action then activates the item. This is used in conjunction with the Hiru Eye Tracking module.

If your iOS device includes a TrueDepth camera, the following trigger actions are available.

Note: If your iOS device does not include a TrueDepth camera, only the Hover trigger action is available.

*Does not require True Depth Camera. **Requires the use of the True Depth Camera

Hover Time

When you select Hover as the trigger action, the setting Hover Time replaces the setting Trigger Sensitivity. Choose from a range of hover time settings: 0.20 seconds - 2.50 seconds (0.05 second increments). The default in 1.00 seconds.

Rest Area

The rest area is an inactive area surrounding the last activation point. This area allows the user to rest before moving to the next activation. When the user is within the rest area, eye tracking does not make activations via any trigger action. To access the rest area settings, choose Rest Area from the Hiru settings. The rest area settings will be displayed.

To activate the rest area:

Select the Rest Area On/Off button to turn the rest area On. Turning the button on activates the rest area and the rest area settings.

Note: When the Rest Area On/Off button is turned Off, the rest area settings are not available.

To set the size of the rest area:

Select Rest Area Size to open a window for adjusting the size of the rest area radius. Select a value and choose OK.

Note: Even if Rest Area Size value is set to Off, the “Use Button as Rest Area” option is still available.

To use the last vocabulary button activated as the rest area:

Select Use Button as Rest Area. The last vocabulary button activated becomes the rest area. While the pointer is within the button, eye tracking does not make any activations, allowing the user to rest. “Show rest area” and “Rest area size” are not needed and are therefore not available when User Button as Rest Area is selected.

To make the rest area visible on the screen:

Select Show Rest Area. A light circle will outline the rest area perimeter.

Note: Selecting Show Rest Area does not enable the rest area itself. It merely makes the rest area visible on the screen. The Rest Area On/Off setting (see above) enables and disables the rest area.

To leave the rest area:

To leave the rest area and resume making activations, the user simply moves the pointer out of the rest area circle or off the vocabulary button used as the rest area.

Cursor Smoothing

Smoothing compensates for minor shakiness or tremors to reduce accidental button activations. The greater the user’s involuntary eye movement, the more you may need to increase the smoothing value to compensate. A lower smoothing value will also make the cursor more responsive. Choose from the following smoothing levels: Off through 14. The default level is 2.

Highlight Buttons

When Highlight Buttons is turned on, buttons are highlighted by a colored outline to indicate eye position as you move your eyes. Tap to turn on the highlight. You can indicate eye position by cursor, by highlight, or by both at the same time.

Note: Highlight Buttons is turned on by default. If you turn Highlight Buttons off, be sure to select a cursor shape. If you turn Highlight Buttons off and set Cursor Shape to None, you will have no visible way to track eye movement.

Cursor Shape

The type of cursor that is displayed to indicate eye position as you move your eyes and make selections. You can indicate eye position by cursor, by highlight, or by both at the same time. Choose from the following cursor shapes: None, Dot, Crosshair, Arrow. The default shape is Dot.

Trigger Indicator

The visual indication that an item has been activated. Choose from the following trigger indicators: None, Dot, Pop. The default indicator is Pop.

Note: X appears when you try to use your trigger action on a non-selectable item.

Start Paused

When Start Paused is turned on, eye tracking is paused when you turn on Hiru eye tracking.