The South Korean electronics manufacturer, Samsung, has announced the addition of a new accessibility feature in its 2023 television set and monitor product lineup, the SeeColors mode. This added feature provides various colour settings based on degrees and types of colour vision deficiency (CVD), offering an improved viewing experience for those with colour blindness.

To enable colour vision-impaired users to select the option that is most suitable for them, SeeColors mode provides nine picture presets. The feature adjusts red, green and blue levels to ensure viewers can easily distinguish colours on the screen depending on their degree or type of CVD.

All 2023 models

Originally released as an application in 2017, SeeColors is now integrated into the firm's TV and monitor accessibility menus on models including the Neo QLED, QLED, OLED, Smart Monitor and the G95SC gaming monitor, making it more readily available to users. In addition, for consumers who have already purchased a 2023 model, a software update will be available to add SeeColors to the accessibility menu.

In acknowledgement of SeeColors mode’s ability to help those with CVD better enjoy content on Samsung screens, the company has earned a “Colour Vision Accessibility” certification from TÜV Rheinland.

New accessibility feature SeeColors | Credit: SamsungCommitment to accessibility

The recognition of SeeColors builds on Samsung’s commitment to accessibility, under the company's “Screens Everywhere, Screens for All” vision.

“We are thrilled to introduce additional accessibility features in our 2023 TV and monitor lineup to assist individuals with colour blindness and low vision,” said Seokwoo Jason Yong, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Under the vision of ‘Screens Everywhere, Screens for All,’ we will continue to innovate and bring inclusive technologies closer to our consumers.”

Relumino mode led the way

Samsung's accessibility efforts this year began with the Relumino Mode feature for select models of the electronics firm's smart TVs. The Relumino Mode helps people with vision impairment to see content more clearly.

According to Samsung, Relumino Mode makes content much clearer to the visually impaired by outlining objects, enhancing contrast, adjusting brightness, improving colours, and sharpening content. Relumino Mode is offered with Samsung's new 2023 TVs, the QN90C, QN80C, QN900C, and QN800C.

“For several years, ‘Screens for All’ has been one of the key motto for us. We’re working to further enhance TV accessibility and promote inclusion,” said Jason Park, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics. “People with low vision are still a key demographic that need better TV viewing experiences.”

Relumino Mode, like SeeColors, is not a new feature. Samsung also originally released it as an app in 2017 that could be downloaded onto users' smartphones and then connected to a Samsung Gear VR device. The app enhanced the images shown to viewers by recording what was in front of the VR using the wearer's smartphone camera.

Accessibility enhancements

Samsung launched additional accessibility enhancements last year as a part of its "Screens for All" vision, including the Auto Caption position, allowing users to place closed captions in areas that do not interfere with viewing, and a sign language guide, an avatar that appears at the bottom of the screen to explain TV menu funtions to viewers in sign language.

“Samsung will continue to advance technology in the long term to provide personalised picture quality for people with vision impairment and let them enjoy TV comfortably. Samsung remains committed to accessibility and strives to leverage its technologies to enable more people do what they enjoy," said Park.

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