ColorVeil - a free solution for screen dimming and shading (Irlen's Syndrome)

[Ephelyon]

I just wanted to post about a solution we found to the problem of screen glare - one which also led us on to support students with Irlen's Syndrome, completely free. The developer has made a few tweaks to the software to make it easier to run over RDP.

 

I'll copy and paste the "press release / customer story" that I wrote for him here:

 

“What began with a simple hardware purchase request has resulted in improved access to ICT facilities for learning and administration for staff and students at X School – and all without spending a penny.

 

The Finance Department had asked the IT Department to source anti-glare filters for the monitors of around half a dozen staff who were experiencing headaches after using their computers for several hours a day. These filters would need to be in different sizes as many of these staff had different-sized monitors, potentially costing around £150-200 in total. With budgets everywhere under pressure, the IT Department responded by investigating a software solution to the problem of monitor glare and came across ColorVeil. Affected members of staff were shown ColorVeil with the filter opacity set at 60-70%; everyone responded that this resolved their problem.

 

The Department then made the link to children with Irlen’s Syndrome, which is a condition affecting reading ability where sufferers can greatly benefit when the paper the text is printed on is of a particular colour – the exact one varies from person to person. X School – which prides itself on its highly inclusive approach to education – has a number of students with this condition, so ColorVeil was also demonstrated to these students to see whether a coloured tint across the screen helped with their reading – they reported that it did!

 

There were some technical issues around the implementation of this software across the school network, so the IT Department worked with the software’s developer, Horatiu Aurelian – who gives his work away for free – to resolve them. In just a short while, everyone who needed ColorVeil was able to have it running automatically on logon, both in school and over remote access from home, with customised settings for each user that they can alter at will.

 

At one stroke, X School has been able to improve its staff’s health by reducing eye strain, while also broadening access to learning opportunities for many of its students, all at zero cost to the taxpayer. We are highly satisfied with this outcome, commend Horatiu for his generous work and would very much recommend ColorVeil to other schools.”

 

ColorVeil is MSI-deployable and can be downloaded from here:

 

ColorVeil - Screen color filter and dimmer - Aurelitec

Edited October 19, 2016 by elsiegee40

[BenQ_Support]

Looks like a great solution and sounds like it's really going to benefit your students and teachers.

 

Regarding the issue’s your teachers are experiencing with monitors, it might be worth looking at a flicker free monitor. As a manufacturer we’ve put quite a lot of development into this area.

 

We also now integrate the same technology into our larger touch-screen range. This is part of our wider “eye-care” technology which also includes low blue-light modes (Similar to Apple’s night-shift mode) and anti-glare technology.

 

Low Blue Light?Reduce Computer Eye Strain and Blue Led Light with BenQ Low Blue Light Technology

 

Presumably this software solution could be mirrored to a second display? Looks interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

Adrian. (Edugeek Sponsor)

[Steve21]

Looked interesting up to this point:

 

Stealth & More - ColorVeil can go stealth and hide its turn off switch, helping you play pranks on your friends or family.

 

Is there any options to disable bits like that if anyones tried it?

 

Steve

[Ephelyon]

I'm going to ask the developer to remove that part on the website at least - perhaps a version without that "feature" could also be released...

[Steve21]

I'm going to ask the developer to remove that part on the website at least - perhaps a version without that "feature" could also be released...

 

Indeed just seems quite a big "advertised" feature as found it again later on.

 

BetaNews - "Run it on someone else's PC, and leave them wondering why their screen is so much greener than it was yesterday."

 

 

May be an option in all fairness just haven't downloaded yet to try it but was wondering

 

Steve

[Ephelyon]

Ah - looks like he's removed the text from the website now

[Oaktech]

Well this is fortuitous!

 

I was asked for this just yesterday! It's deployed and working in the ICT suite already!

[Ephelyon]

Excellent news!!!

[Ephelyon]

Update: Horatiu is planning a new release to get around the Stealth Mode problem...

[DJ-1701]

Thank you so much for sharing, the SEN teacher at the Primary needed something like this on her laptop she's very happy with this.