Curious about the new VersaEye™? Let’s explore how this assistive technology works seamlessly with your iPad®’s operating system.
The VersaEye is built with Hiru™, an AI-enhanced, MFi-certified eye tracker that allows you to control your iPad. MFi stands for Made for iOS/iPadOS, and MFi-certified products have passed Apple®’s testing and meet their quality, safety, and performance standards. Place your iPad (not included) in the VersaWrap™, plug in the USB-C cable, calibrate your eyes, and you’re ready to access your world.
VersaEye works in conjunction with AssistiveTouch. It automically turns on when the Hiru eye tracker is detected. This accessibility feature for iPadOS lets you adapt your touchscreen to fit your physical needs. If certain gestures don’t work for you, swap them with an accessibility option that does.
For eye tracking, set custom dwell or switch control for all your apps so you can smoothly navigate your device just the way you like. Dwell is a way to tap or select an item through an extended gaze. If you hold the cursor still on an item for a specified time, the cursor will select the item. Movement tolerance and dwell time can be adjusted to meet your needs. You can also personalize the layout of the AssistiveTouch menu with your preferences. Your favorites may include pause, resume, or continuous scroll.
Apple added new features for your eye tracking experience with last fall’s iOS 17 update.
When using the VersaEye, the Snap to Item feature turns supported buttons (or items) into more intentional selection targets. When looking at a button on your screen, the cursor automatically hides and becomes a highlight of the entire button. This new functionality increases your button activation accuracy and speed.
A recent press release from IRISBOND™ noted: “This feature is beneficial to all types of gaze users and creates a "made for gaze" feel in every application in which it is used. Eliminates "drift" caused by looking at a gaze cursor. It stabilizes the eye tracking experience and eliminates distractions from cursor movement, making the gaze experience smoother, faster, and comfortable.”
Turn on this feature through this menu pathway: Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch > Devices > Hiru > Snap to Item.
If the cursor is a distraction to you, consider turning on the new Auto-Hide feature. You can choose a time length for how long you want to gaze before the cursor reappears. You can also decide the cursor’s visibility level when it’s not in use.
Turn on this feature through this menu pathway: Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch > Devices > Hiru > Auto-Hide.
If you are already comfortable navigating your iPad, learning a new access method like eye tracking will be a simpler process. Let’s confirm your iPad’s compatibility. VersaEye is compatible with iPadOS 17 and above on the following devices:
Learn more about VersaEye’s features and mounting options on the eStore. For more information, contact the Versa team at versa@prc-saltillo.com.