https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=511836
Bug ID: 511836
Summary: Real-time visual safety filter to prevent
photosensitive triggers (Wayland / KWin)
Classification: I don't know
Product: kde
Version First unspecified
Reported In:
Platform: Other
OS: Linux
Status: REPORTED
Severity: normal
Priority: NOR
Component: general
Assignee: [email protected]
Reporter: [email protected]
Target Milestone: ---
Description
I’d like to propose a new accessibility feature for KWin (Wayland) that could
analyze rendered frames in real time and automatically reduce potentially
harmful visual patterns for users with photosensitive epilepsy or visual
hypersensitivity.
The concept is for the compositor to detect and mitigate flashing, strobing, or
high-contrast rapid changes before they are displayed, in a way that is subtle
and imperceptible to most users.
Goal
Prevent harmful visual stimuli such as rapid flashes, flickers, or strobe-like
effects (e.g. from videos, animations, or graphical transitions) that could
provoke seizures or discomfort.
The system would:
Analyze the luminance and color changes per frame or per region (tile) to
detect flickering frequencies (≈3–60 Hz, especially around 15–20 Hz).
Apply smoothing or local desaturation/blending to reduce the intensity of those
effects.
Maintain minimal latency (a few milliseconds) so that the overall visual
experience remains smooth.
Rationale
Current accessibility settings in KDE Plasma (high contrast, reduce motion,
night color, etc.) already address several visual needs, but there is no
system-level protection against photosensitive visual patterns.
A compositor-level “visual safety filter” could significantly improve
accessibility and inclusiveness, providing real-time protection independent of
individual applications.
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