DeToX
DeToX, eye-tracking, Tobii, PsychoPy, infant studies, calibration, gaze data, eye tracker, research, Python
This package is being developed to address the need for simpler, more accessible eye-tracking experiments using tobii_research. While the Tobii SDK provides powerful features for interacting with Tobii eye trackers, certain aspects of its implementation can be complex and unintuitive for routine research tasks. Since many researchers run experiments using PsychoPy, we’re building this lightweight wrapper around PsychoPy and tobii_research to streamline the process. Our goal is to make it straightforward to run infant-friendly eye-tracking studies while handling the technical complexities behind the scenes.
The philosophy behind DeToX is simplicity - if you already have PsychoPy installed, you’ll only need to add DeToX and you’re ready to go. No additional dependencies, no complex setup procedures. Just a clean, intuitive wrapper that makes eye-tracking accessible.
This project builds upon an existing repository that has proven valuable: psychopy_tobii_infant
While this repository provided solid foundations for integrating Tobii eye trackers with PsychoPy, we’re expanding it with features and improvements that we believe will be particularly useful for running infant-friendly eye-tracking studies. We’re working to simplify the technical aspects while preserving the flexibility researchers need.
Our Vision for DeToX
Commitment to Simplicity
While the eye-tracking landscape offers many excellent tools—from PsychoPy’s built-in Tobii integration to comprehensive packages like Titta—DeToX will carve out its own niche through thoughtful simplicity. We’re prioritizing clarity and ease-of-use without sacrificing the flexibility researchers need. Our aim is to create a codebase that’s straightforward and well-documented, serving as a platform for innovation rather than an obstacle to overcome.
Our Documentation Promise
We believe that good software is only as valuable as its documentation. Too often, researchers encounter powerful packages that become frustrating to use due to unclear or incomplete documentation. When you’re left wondering what a function does or how to modify basic settings, the package becomes more of a hindrance than a help. A package should empower users, not confuse them. That’s why we’re committed to creating clear, comprehensive documentation with practical examples and step-by-step tutorials. Our goal is documentation that will help you understand not just what to do, but why—so you can confidently adapt the code to your specific experimental needs.
Vignettes (Coming Soon)
We’re developing detailed vignettes that will offer hands-on explanations of DeToX’s settings and features through practical examples. Each vignette will focus on specific functionality, walking you through the implementation details and configuration options you’ll need to effectively integrate these features into your research workflow.
Tutorials (In Development)
While vignettes will dive deep into individual features, our tutorials will take a different approach - demonstrating complete working experiments from start to finish. Rather than explaining every parameter in detail, they’ll show you how all the pieces fit together in real research scenarios, providing you with templates and patterns you can adapt for your own studies.
Join the Community
We’re building more than just a package - we’re cultivating a community of researchers who believe in accessible, well-documented tools.
Have suggestions or found a bug? We want to hear from you! Raise an issue on GitHub to help us improve:
Want to discuss ideas or need help? Join the DevStart forum to connect with other researchers and the development team:
DeToX is actively under development as our first comprehensive eye-tracking wrapper. While we’re committed to creating a reliable and user-friendly package, we strongly encourage you to thoroughly test DeToX with your specific experimental setup and requirements before relying on it for critical research. This package is provided without warranties of any kind, and users should verify that all functionality works as expected in their particular research context. We welcome feedback and bug reports to help us improve the package, and we appreciate your patience as we continue to develop and refine DeToX. Please use appropriate caution and validation procedures when implementing DeToX in your studies.