Sigh
Sorry to say, but the short answer is no - eyetracking is currently not possible with the Ipad
Is it too late to return your Ipad?
Most AAC technology is developed for PCs not Apple products. I'm not sure if there is even a MAC version of eyegaze.
There are currently no alternative input devices for the Ipad sanctioned by Apple except for a keyboard. You can use a mouse with the Ipad, but you have to jailbreak it first (ie. remove program restrictions imposed by Apple)
Furthermore, the first generation Ipad has no camera so there is no way for it to track eye movement. You would need a blue tooth web cam and there is currently no app that allows the use. There are some people who've found ways around this problem but they are impractical.
It is possible that eye tracking is in development for the Ipad but it won't be for a while.
Did you buy the old Ipad or new Ipad? The Ipad 2 just went on sale and it has 2 cameras which eliminates the need to try and figure out how to hook up a web cam. If you don't have the Ipad 2 I would for sure return it.
Since I bought my iPad I've pretty much lost the use of my hands and arms. My ipad has become a very expensive paper weight. I've been trying to find a way to use a magic trackpad with my ipad operated by my feet without having to jailbreak it - no luck.
I've tried using a mouthstick with my ipad. As the ipad only responds to human touch, you need to wrap the mouth stick in copper wire from the mouth piece to the tip and then wrap the tip in aluminum foil. I could operate the ipad using the mouth stick - although it was a bit awkward - and my mouth would sometimes lose contact with the copper wire so I would lose the connection for a second. My neck and jaw muscles are weakened so they started to ache after a bit. I could not manage to push the home button with the stick. The biggest problem was the drool factor- it was like Niagara Falls flowing down my chin and neck. So if you already own an ipad, are used to a mouth stick, have fairly normal neck and jaw muscles and not prone to excessive drooling- a mouth stick might work for you. I certainly would not recommend buying an ipad if you only plan to use it with a mouth stick.
If your husband is keen to use a tablet I would recommend exchanging his Ipad for an Asus Slate. It is a PC based tablet running Windows 7 so it will work with any eye tracking program out there. Only problem is that the Slate is expensive at about $1000. If it is just a question of portability, why not just get a net book for under $300? A net book will also work with any eye tracking programs out there.
Good luck!
