Eyeteq video enhancement technology from SpectralEdge has received a vote of approval from colour-blind viewers in a recent research trial.
In the trial, 80% of viewers with the most common kind of colour blindness said they preferred watching TV content enhanced with Eyeteq accessibility technology, compared with untreated content.
When Eyeteq is enabled, content streamed to a set-top box is enhanced on a frame-by-frame basis before being displayed on the TV screen. It can be adjusted using the TV remote control to meet each viewer’s individual requirements.
The study, carried out by i2 Media Research, also found that almost all participants (93%), both those with colour-blindness and colour normals, found watching video processed with Eyeteq perfectly acceptable, enabling everyone to watch and enjoy content together on the same screen. The study involved 90 participants, 60 of whom had some form of colour-blindness; two-thirds of these were classified as having reduced green (known as deutan) sensitivity – a condition that accounts for 75% of the whole colour-blind population.
The trial showed that Eyeteq’s enables colour-blind viewers to better differentiate between colour combinations they struggle to see, such as red-green and pink-grey – so they can make out image and video details they previously could not. Participants gave high ratings to the overall picture quality, clarity and colour of content enhanced with Eyeteq and strongly agreed that it “made reds more red and greens more green”.
“For too long colour-blind viewers have found it difficult, if not impossible to enjoy watching their favourite television programmes,” said Christopher Cytera, managing director, Spectral Edge (pictured). “As this new independent research demonstrates, Eyeteq not only transforms their viewing experience, but does so in a way that can be adjusted to their particular needs – without impacting the acceptability of content to colour-normals. This opens up a major new opportunity for pay TV operators, enabling them to differentiate themselves and increase revenues by providing Eyeteq to their subscribers.”
Spectral Edge has integrated Eyeteq with STMicroelectronics’ ‘Cannes’ set-top box chipset. It is now available for licence on a fixed fee, annual subscription basis, with operators receiving ongoing support and enhancements.
