Pupil is an open-source eye-tracking platform designed for accessibility, hackability, and affordability. It targets researchers, developers, and hobbyists interested in understanding and conducting eye-tracking projects, offering both hardware and software components. The platform aims to democratize eye-tracking technology.

How It Works

Pupil combines Python and C++ for its software stack, leveraging C++ for performance-critical operations. It provides a network-based real-time API for integration with external applications and supports a plugin architecture for runtime extensions. Users can also run the software from source for deeper customization.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Install: Clone the repository, checkout the develop branch, and install dependencies using python -m pip install -r requirements.txt. A virtual environment is recommended.
• Prerequisites: Python 3.7+ (3.11 recommended). On arm64 Macs (M1), use python3.*-intel64 for virtual environments due to missing arm64 wheels. Linux requires libportaudio2 (sudo apt install libportaudio2) and specific udev rules for USB camera access. macOS 12+ requires running Capture/Service with sudo for camera access.
• Setup: Refer to the repository for detailed dependency installation and troubleshooting.
• Links: User Guide, Developer Docs

Highlighted Details

• Real-time API for network communication.
• Plugin system for runtime extensions.
• C++ components for performance.
• Command-line arguments for customization (e.g., --debug, --profile).

Maintenance & Community

• Actively developed and community-driven.
• Discord server available for chat.

Licensing & Compatibility

• Licensed under GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL v3.0).
• Permissive for modification and distribution, encouraging community contributions.

Limitations & Caveats

• arm64 Macs lack native wheels for dependencies, requiring workarounds.
• macOS 12+ requires administrator privileges (sudo) to access cameras, potentially complicating integration.