Accuracy for use in a DAW?

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Digitt
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 8:37 am

Accuracy for use in a DAW?

Post by Digitt »

Hi,

I want to purchase this, and use it with the Tobii-EyeX and Project IRIS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy8tq6j0wUw

I see Xcessity have this video, but it doesn't show the accuracy of Project Iris in ableton live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeSHAWMxFLo

I'd like to know if Iris is accurate enough to look at small knobs in Ableton Live. If anyone knows or even better, could make a video, that would absolutely fantastic! I don't want to spend my money and find it's not accurate enough to be used in Ableton.

Thank you so much
annaek
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 4:46 am

Re: Accuracy for use in a DAW?

Post by annaek »

I'm not 100% sure I know what you're trying to do. So, if I'm misunderstanding, please give me some feedback and I'm happy to try again.

Disclaimer: I've never used Ableton Live. I have looked up some screenshots and videos, but my knowledge is quite limited. Having said that, I have been experimenting with the EyeX for several months as an assistive technology tool.

Are you trying to use Project Iris's mouse emulation tools to click on the little on-screen knobs? If so, I highly doubt that will work. The knobs are very small, and eye tracking just isn't that precise. (You could use a software tool with a zoom step to help you select the small controls, but I'm guessing that would mess up your timing while trying to play music).

If you do want to try using simple mouse emulation, your best bet would probably be a large monitor (the EyeX supports up to 27 inches) paired with either a low screen resolution or zoom tools on your computer to make the controls as big as possible.

But the video that you linked actually uses interactors, which are, at least in my opinion, the real strength of Project Iris. The idea with interactors is that you first figure out what set of actions you want to perform with your eyes and then assign each one to a screen region, so that the action is executed when you look at that part of the screen. So, if you're willing to take an approach based on interactors, here are the two questions I think you would need answer to determine whether Project Iris can work for you:
1. Does Ableton live provide a way to select the knobs using a keystroke?
2. How many different knobs do you need to select? Could you fit an interactor for each one onto your computer monitor?

If the answer to both of those questions is yes, then I think you're good to go. You would just need to create an interactor for each knob and then assign the appropriate keystrokes. (It's actually okay if you need a sequence of key presses instead of a single key stroke to select a given knob. Project Iris supports basic macros.)

Hope this helps!
Digitt
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 8:37 am

Re: Accuracy for use in a DAW?

Post by Digitt »

Hi,

Thank you for your response.

I don't need to click onthe knobs, just have the mouse cursor hover over them, because the "Nob" hardware in the video I linked adjusts whatever your mouse is hovering over, not clicking.

1. Does Ableton live provide a way to select the knobs using a keystroke?
2. How many different knobs do you need to select? Could you fit an interactor for each one onto your computer monitor?

1 - Yes, but 2 - there are probably 200 knobs you'll use in one sitting, each time different. But as above, I don't need interactors at all.

If it is as you say, not accurate enough to have the mouse cursor hover over each knob on ableton live, then it isn't worth me purchasing.

Thank you very much for your help and time :)
annaek
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 4:46 am

Re: Accuracy for use in a DAW?

Post by annaek »

Okay, l see what you are trying to do, now. Actually, I think hovering would be even harder than clicking. Eyes don't naturally stay still. And I do think you would have a problem with precision. Small targets are hard to hit reliably.

And two hundred targets that change from use to use definitely doesn't fit well with the interactor model.

I don't think (current generation) eyetracking is the right tool for what you are trying to do, unfortunately.
Digitt
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 8:37 am

Re: Accuracy for use in a DAW?

Post by Digitt »

thank you very much for your input :) Well it saves me alot of money! I am sure oneday it will be accurate enough. If so, it would be a dream to simply use this Nob and just adjust whatever I'm looking at :)

Thank you :)
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