On this page we have collected information about the Tobii REX firmware.

Supported platforms

  • Windows 7 and Windows 8.1
  • Android ARM 32bit/64bit
  • Linux Ubuntu 12.04/14.04 32bit/64bit

Upgrading to the latest firmware version

On Windows: If you have installed the EyeX Engine, then you can use the EyeX settings panel accessible from the tray icon menu to upgrade the firmware. Otherwise you should use the fwupgrade tool included in the Gaze SDK package.

On Linux and Android: Use the fwupgrade tool included in the Gaze SDK package.

If you are using the fwupgrade tool you need to download the firmware package and install the corresponding device drivers manually. The most recent Tobii REX firmware package and device drivers are available on the downloads page.

REX firmware variants

The firmware on the Tobii REX eye tracker has historically been available in two variants: a USB-HID and a USB-TCP/IP variant.

USB-HID firmware: This is the only maintained and updated firmware variant for Tobii REX. All Tobii REX units shipped since January 2014 have the USB-HID firmware pre-installed. Since the release of Tobii Gaze SDK C API 4.1.0 / .NET API 2.1.0, there are USB-HID device drivers available on all supported platforms: Windows, Linux and Android. The USB-HID firmware is therefore the recommended firmware for all supported platforms.

USB-TCP/IP firmware: This is a discontinued firmware variant for the Tobii REX. It was kept up to date up to version 1.0.5. For a long while it was available for download although it was outdated since it was the only firmware variant that worked with the Linux and Android platforms. The USB-TCP/IP device drivers are no longer available for download. If you need the drivers, please contact support.

How to find out which firmware variant your REX is running

On Windows: Connect the eye tracker to the computer and wait a moment to let the operating system identify the eye tracker device. Then launch the Device Manager.

If your eye tracker is running the USB-HID firmware, you will find an entry in the Human interface devices category called either “HID-compliant device” or “Tobii Eye Tracker” depending on if the device driver is installed or not.

If your eye tracker is running the TCP/IP firmware, and no device driver is installed, you will find an entry in the Other devices category called “Tobii IS Eye Tracker”. Once the device driver has been installed, the device will appear in the Network adapters category with the name “Tobii IS driver”.

On Linux and Android: Connect the eye tracker to the host computer/device and wait a moment to let the operating system identify the eye tracker device.

Run the lsusb command. If your eye tracker is running the USB-TCP/IP firmware, then the output should include a line like this:

Bus XXX Device YYY: ID 0525:a4a1 Netchip Technology, Inc.

If instead you see a line like this:

Bus XXX Device YYY: ID 2104:0001

then the eye tracker is running the USB-HID firmware. This means that you will need to change the firmware to use the device with your computer/device.

Changing from USB-TCP/IP to USB-HID firmware

To change the firmware on a Tobii REX from USB-TCP/IP to USB-HID simply follow the instructions in the Upgrading to the latest firmware version section.

Prerequisite on Windows: The computer you are using to perform the change has to have the Tobii REX device drivers for USB-TCP/IP installed to be able to connect to the eye tracker. If you do not have the drivers and need them, please contact support.

7 thoughts on “Tobii REX Firmware”

  2. I’ve just received a new REX and I’m having trouble getting the PC to recognise it. The REX Configuration I received with my earlier REX won’t identify the new REX and the Control Panel can’t identify it. Is this a conflict between the multiple REX units?

    When I plug the new REX in I can see it in the Device Manager as a ‘HID-compliant device’. How do I install the driver for this device?

    Tim

    • Hi Tim,
      I don’t think this is a conflict between the REX units, more likely a missing driver. The drivers are different for USB-TCP/IP (which I assume your old REX is) and USB-HID. The drivers can be found on the downloads page.

  3. I have written my own application using the Tobii Gaze SDK (version 2_0_1_296).

    My Rex device seems to work on Windows 8.1 without installing any drivers.
    However, for windows 7 I need to install Tobii IS Drivers_1.3.5 – for USB TCP/IP.

    Can someone confirm this. I need to know how to package my application MSI’s drivers during installation. It seems that I do not need any Tobii drivers for Windows 8.1.

    I have not tested the EyeX device yet.

    Thanks,
    -Edward Ryklin

  4. Hi Again,

    Actually I am very confused now. It seems that Rex will continue to work even if I uninstall the IS USB_TCP driver. Can you please clarify this for me so that I know how to package my software with the appropriate driver.

    Thanks,
    -Edward

  5. Hi Edward,
    the USB-TCP/IP connection has been working without third-party drivers for several years on Linux and Mac already. So I wouldn’t be too surprised if Windows now has this capability out of the box as well. I couldn’t find anything on MSDN to confirm that, though.

    The EyeX Controller will not work without drivers because it does some of the processing on the host CPU.

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