Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Hardware & Compatibility
Q: Which iPad models are compatible with Talking Eyes?
A: Talking Eyes requires iPadOS 18 or later. Eye-tracking features require an iPad equipped with a TrueDepth front-facing camera supporting ARKit Face Tracking. If your device does not support TrueDepth, you can use the app via Touch Mode.
Q: Can Talking Eyes be used offline without internet?
A: Yes. Preset phrases, custom content, Pinyin selection, touchscreen taps, and system speech synthesis function fully offline. Network access is required only for AI suggestions, live weather context, quota tracking, and subscription verification.
Eye Tracking & Interaction
Q: What should I do if gaze selection feels inaccurate?
A: Launch the "Placement Assistant" to check face framing, centering, and verify an optimal distance of 40–70 cm. Ensure even ambient lighting with no direct backlighting, secure the iPad stand, and re-calibrate from the top-left corner of the home screen.
Q: Why does the app prompt for calibration again?
A: Automatic re-calibration maintains tracking accuracy when the device moves, when the user's posture shifts, if the face was absent for a prolonged period, or when a routine periodic maintenance interval is reached.
Q: How can I prevent accidental selections?
A: Increase the dwell duration to 4–5 seconds in "Settings → General", and verify there is no direct glare on eyeglass lenses or deep shadows across the eyes.
Q: Can I use the app entirely without eye tracking?
A: Yes. Directly tapping any target on screen selects it immediately. You can also select "Continue in Touch Mode" during initial onboarding.
Content & Speech Synthesis
Q: How do I add specialized family words or phrases?
A: Go to "Settings → Expression Content" to edit up to 64 categorized expressions and 16 frequent phrases. "Keywords" under "User Profile" help AI recognize personal names and context; they are separate from the two expression libraries.
Q: Why does the center button show "Call" instead of "Speak"?
A: When the Call button is enabled and the top sentence bar is empty, the center button becomes a red "Call" button. Once any phrase or syllable is selected, it reverts to "Speak". You can adjust or disable this under "Settings → General".
Q: Why does the app speak automatically without pressing the center button?
A: "Auto-Speak Upon Selection" or "Auto-Speak When Looking Away" may be enabled. Both toggles can be adjusted under "Settings → General".
AI Suggestions
Q: Why does the fourth quadrant show "Recents" instead of "AI Suggestions"?
A: When AI is disabled, when data-sharing consent has not been granted, or when daily AI quota is exhausted, the fourth quadrant automatically switches to on-device "Recents".
Q: What if AI suggestions are inaccurate?
A: Check that clinical care limits, caregivers, environment, and keywords in "User Profile" are accurate. Model parameters are configured server-side. AI outputs can be mistaken; critical requests regarding nutrition, fluids, medication, breathing, and posture must always be confirmed by caregivers.
Q: How many AI calls can I make each day?
A: View remaining daily calls, subscription status, and pricing under "Settings → Subscriptions". Quota resets daily at 00:00 (UTC+8).
Q: How do I check what data the AI feature sends?
A: Navigate to "Settings → AI Prediction History" to review field summaries and timestamps from the past 7 days. Full raw prompt text is never stored, and local history can be cleared at any time.
Privacy & Support
Q: Are camera feeds, facial features, or gaze points stored or uploaded?
A: No. These data streams are processed strictly in device memory during active runtime. They are never written to disk, and never transmitted to developer servers, Volcano Engine, or Sentry. See our Privacy Policy.
Q: How do I replay onboarding or submit feedback?
A: Replay tutorials under "Settings → Tutorials & Support". Submit bug reports with up to 5 screenshots via "Settings → Feedback & Help", or contact us via email on our Support page.
Q: Is Talking Eyes a medical device or an emergency alarm?
A: No. Talking Eyes is an assistive communication tool. It does not provide medical diagnosis, treatment recommendations, or emergency call services, and cannot replace clinical AAC evaluations, bedside nursing observation, nurse call cords, or dedicated emergency alarm equipment.