Blink Mate: A Smart Screen Control Application to Mitigate Digital Eye Strain in Children

With the advent of the digital era today, extended screen time (primarily when viewing television) has been linked to eye strain and visual fatigue. The proposed system of screen control uses the feature of the human eye blinking, by blacking out the television screen for few milliseconds at regular interval. The system is designed to lessen the persisting optical burden on the eyes of the viewer with the objective of offering ocular relief without having some influence on the perceiving process. The application can be adjusted, allowing parents or guardians to set the interval, blank screen duration and session duration according to a child’s screen habits. Based on initial simulation results, it could give some reduction to digital eye strain, especially, under conditions of protracted viewing. This technology can find an application currently within the realm of consumer electronic devices, such as smart TVs and streaming devices, to promote eye-health in an environment of growing screen use in everyday life.