If you’re like me, you’ve reached a point in space sims where joysticks alone aren’t enough. You need that next level of immersion, and for many, that means head tracking.
However, the options are often either very expensive and require specific hardware, or they are free but lack features. Today, I’m looking at a middle ground that might be the perfect solution for most pilots: the Beam Eye Tracker by Eyeware Tech [00:32].
Full disclosure: The video was sponsored by Beam, but the opinions expressed there were entirely my own.
The $30 Solution (Plus Your Webcam)
The beauty of Beam is its accessibility. While high-end hardware can cost hundreds, Beam costs around $30 and works with the webcam you already own—even an old one you find on eBay for $10 [01:28].
Don’t have a webcam? No problem. You can actually use your smartphone (Android or iPhone) as a high-quality webcam replacement [01:54]. In fact, if you have a modern iPhone with FaceID (3D sensors), the Beam iOS app can offload the processing to the phone for even more efficient tracking [09:31].
More Than Just Gaming
While we’re here for the space sims, Beam has some surprisingly useful productivity features [04:38]:
- Mouse Jumping: Your cursor teleports to where you are looking with a simple hotkey [05:11].
- Multi-Screen Pointer: If you have multiple monitors, the mouse automatically centers on the screen you are currently looking at [04:45].
- Presence Detection: The software can automatically lock your PC or blur your screen when it detects you’ve walked away [05:31].
Setting It Up: Beam + OpenTrack
To get Beam working with games, you’ll use it alongside OpenTrack, an open-source software that supports over 200 games [02:41].
- Calibrate: Look at a few points on your screen to let the software map your eyes and head movement [03:30].
- Choose Your Mode: You can do pure head tracking, pure eye tracking (gaze), or both combined [04:05].
- Connect to OpenTrack: Select “Eyeware Beam” as the input and “FreeTrack 2.0 Enhanced” as the output for most games [06:50].
Performance in the Cockpit
I tested this setup in X4: Foundations and Elite Dangerous, and the difference is massive.
- In X4, being able to track an asteroid or an enemy ship with your eyes while flying in a different direction is a total game changer for dogfighting [11:46].
- In Elite Dangerous, it enables features like panel-look, where menus open automatically when you glance toward them [13:09].
The key to a smooth experience is setting up your curves and hotkeys (like re-centering) properly in OpenTrack so the movement feels natural to you [07:23, 07:45].
The Verdict
The Beam Eye Tracker is an AI-based, actively developed tool that brings high-level immersion to a budget-friendly price point. It’s easy to set up, highly customizable, and works with hardware you probably already have in your pocket or on your desk.
Fly safe, Captains!
You can get the software directly from here: https://beam.eyeware.tech/?via=captaincollins
YouTube Video: Easy Head Tracking for Space Games like X4, Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen