KR20050018656A - Prevention of photoepileptic seizures - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for preventing photosensitive epileptic seizures of a viewer watching images from a computer, a television, a game console, a video player, a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA). The system eliminates the risk of photosensitive epilepsy by detecting and adjusting potentially harmful images.

Description

Prevention system of photosensitive epileptic seizures {PREVENTION OF PHOTOEPILEPTIC SEIZURES}

The present invention relates to a system for preventing photosensitive epileptic seizures, and more particularly to a system for preventing photosensitive epileptic seizures using a visual display.

The present invention has been developed primarily for use as visual displays in computers, televisions, personal digital assistants (PDAs), telephones, digital or analog video recorders and players, gaming consoles, and the like, and will be described below with reference to these applications. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to these applications and may be applied to other applications and fields.

It is well known that about 5% of epileptics are photosensitive epileptics whose seizures can be triggered by flashing lights or small patterns, especially contrasting vertical stripe patterns. Children between 6 and 20 years old, especially girls, are most likely to have seizures.

Possible causes of seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy include visual displays associated with computers, game consoles, PDAs, televisions, telephones, video cassette digital video or laser disc recorders or players, video cameras, and other display devices. Can be mentioned.

Extensive research has been conducted evaluating various aspects of photosensitive epilepsy, including the cause of photosensitive epileptic seizures, for example, some results may show a particular pattern, intense flashes of color divided at sharp angles, or images that flash in the range of 6-20 Hz. This may increase the risk of seizures.

Reference is made herein to the following text: Harding GF and Jeavons PM, “Photosensitive Epilepsy”, London, MacKeith, 1994; Harding GF, Edson A and Jeavons PM, “Persistence Of Photosensitivity”, Epilepsia, 1997, 38: 663-9; Harding GF, “TV can be bad for your health”, Nat Med 1998, 4: 265-7; and Jeavons PM and Harding GF, “Photosensitive Epilepsy”, clinics in developmental medicine, Vol. 56, London, Heinemann, 1975.

Producers, video sellers, and lenders of film and television often know the effects of many causes of photosensitive epileptic seizures, and intentionally avoid producing materials that increase the risk of seizure-causing viewers. However, this does not always prevent video flash rates or broadcasting certain images that may increase the risk of seizures. In December 1997, for example, in Tokyo, television Tokyo Channel 12 broadcast a cartoon television program based on a popular children's game. A seizure of a viewer was reported during the program broadcast, and as a result of the program, about 600 people had some degree of photosensitive epilepsy. Reuters news correspondent journalist Janet Snyder published one of many reports of the incident on December 17, 1997.

In the United Kingdom, Independent Telecommunications (ITC) produced a revised and reprinted guideline titled “ITC Guidance Note for Licensees on Flashing Images and Regular Patterns in Television” in July 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference. It is included.

This guideline defines definitions of flash images and irregular patterns that are acceptable on television to avoid the risk of causing seizures. The three primary image characteristics and their acceptable contents are described as Potentially Harmful Flash (PHF), rapidly changing image sequences and Potentially Harmful regular Pattern (PHP). PHF is defined to occur when there is a pair of opposing brightness changes, and rapid change is considered to be a problem when the image sequence results in a flashing display area. PHP is defined as a pattern that includes explicitly identifiable stripes with five or more pairs of bright and dark stripes, regardless of their direction. More details regarding potentially harmful images or sequences are provided in the guidelines above.

Computers, game consoles, PDAs, and telephones are becoming increasingly common, especially among children, and when it comes to video content regulations that limit the broadcast and transmission of images that can or may cause seizures to viewers with photosensitive epilepsy. No conditions are given.

For display devices that can receive images remotely, such as televisions, computers, PDAs, and telephones, for example, unwanted images or sequences of images can be transmitted to a user who increases the risk of, or can cause, an epileptic seizure. Can be. For example, such images may be transmitted by people with the intention of inducing photosensitive epileptic seizures by transmitting images or sequence images to a computer or PDA via electronic mail or to a telephone via SMS messages.

Many methods are known for identifying and characterizing the effects of photosensitive epilepsy. These methods include US Pat. No. 6,239,904 and US Pat. No. 5,243,517, which disclose specific devices for detecting photosensitive epileptic seizures in humans.

Japanese Patent Application No. 10270187 relates to limiting the intensity of one or more image color channels. A television receiver is also disclosed that analyzes the red, green and blue (RGB) components of a television signal and reduces the contrast of one or more components whose intensity exceeds a predetermined level. This system is purely aimed at providing images for the viewer's aesthetic benefit.

Methods and apparatuses for detecting the presence of potential images and protecting viewers from them are disclosed, for example, in US Pat. Nos. 6,122,322 and 6,341,168. However, these systems detect or prevent subliminal advertising or illegal messages rather than images that cause or potentially cause photosensitivity epileptic seizures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only:

1 is first a block diagram of a system for correcting potentially harmful images in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

2 is a block diagram of a system for correcting a potentially harmful image according to a second preferred embodiment;

3 is a block of a system for correcting potentially harmful images according to a third preferred embodiment; And

4 is a typical delivery chain of digital images in the embodiment of FIG.

Purpose of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system that minimizes the risk of an image or sequence of images causing a photosensitive epileptic seizure.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for adjusting an image or a sequence of images displayed on a visual display of an apparatus for generating an image, the system being arranged to be in electrical communication with the image generating apparatus and the image generating apparatus. And a programmable image control device configured to process an image generated by the image control device, wherein the image control device adjusts an image or image sequence having a predetermined characteristic that may cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. .

The image control device is integrally coupled to the image generating device and is adapted to determine the speed, image color intensity, and image pattern at which an image flashes in an image sequence having the predetermined characteristic that can cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. It is desirable to be programmable to adjust.

Preferably, the image control device may be programmable by the viewer to prevent the display of an image or sequence of images in which a person reacts sensitively. Advantageously, the image control device may be remotely programmable to update an image or sequence of images that may or may potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures.

More preferably, the image control device can adjust the image or sequence of images by blocking or obscuring the display of a pattern or color having the predetermined characteristic that may cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures, and may cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. The flash speed of the triggering or potentially triggering image sequence may be modified within a predetermined range.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the image generating apparatus may include a computer, a game console, a video telephone or a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) video cassette digital video or laser disk recorder or player, a video camera and a television. ..

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of adjusting an image or image sequence having a predetermined characteristic that may cause or potentially cause an epileptic seizure using the system according to the first aspect.

Communicating an image or an image sequence from the image generating device to an input of the image control device;

Processing the image or image sequence in the image control device;

Correcting the image having the predetermined characteristic within a predetermined range; And

And outputting the removed image or the modified image sequence from the image control device to the visual display unit.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a programmable image control device for use in an image generating device, the programmable image control device being arranged to be in electrical communication with the image generating device and received from the image generating device. And to adjust the image or sequence of images having certain characteristics that can cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

Shown in the figure is a system 1 installed to adjust an image or image sequence displayed on a visual display unit 2 related to an apparatus 3 for generating an image or image sequence.

Although the image generating device 3 is shown in the form of a computer and the visual display unit 2 is shown as a computer monitor, the image generating device is a game console, a video phone or a mobile phone, a PDA, a video cassette digital video or a laser. It may comprise a disc player, a video camera or a television, where the image generating device 3 and the visual display unit 2 are integrated.

The programmable image control device 4 is arranged to be in electrical communication with the image generating device 3, which is shown as being incorporated into the image generating device 3 in FIG. 1 and the image generating device 3 in FIG. 2. And is shown between the visual display 2.

The image control device 4 is configured to process an image generated by the image generating device 3, and the image control device 4 is an image or an image having certain characteristics that may cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. Adjust the sequence. The adjustment of the image or image sequence provided by the image control device 4 is performed when an image or image sequence having a predetermined pattern, color, and flash rate characteristic that can cause or potentially cause photosensitive epilepsy to the viewer is detected. All.

In the case of an image having a pattern or color having a predetermined characteristic that may cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures, the image control device 4 prevents these patterns or colors from being displayed on the visual display unit 2. Alternatively, the image is displayed on the visual display unit 2 but may be substantially blurred by the image control device 4.

In the case of an image sequence, the image control device 4 modifies the flash rate of the image sequence from a range which can cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures, preferably within a predetermined range of less than 5 Hz. Alternatively, although the image sequence is displayed on the visual display unit 2, the intensity may be substantially weakened by the image control device 4.

The embodiment of FIG. 1 shows an image control device 4 incorporated into an image generating device 3. In this embodiment, the image control device 4 processes an image or an image sequence to generate a video signal for display on the visual display unit 2 or converts the image or image sequence to a display format on the visual display unit 2. Thereafter, the image generated by the image generating apparatus 3 may be received.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2, when the image generating device 3 once outputs an image in a form suitable for display on the visual display unit 2, the image control device 4 displays an image or an image from the image generating device 3; You can only adjust the sequence.

System 1 further includes a programming receiving device 5 in communication with the image control device 4 for programming the image control device 4 with a predetermined image or sequence of images that can cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. . The programming receiving device 5 may be activated by a viewer programming the image control device 4 to prevent the display of an image or a video sequence to which the viewer reacts sensitively.

The programming receiving device 5 may be remotely activated to update an image or sequence of images that may cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures in the future. In the embodiment where the image generating device 3 is a computer or a telephone, the programming receiver 5 can be remotely connected via a telephone or other communication means to update the image control device 4 with the image or sequence of images. have. Alternatively, the programming receiver 5 may be activated from a key panel or other input device (not shown) of the image generating device 3.

The integration of the image control device 4 into the image generating device 3 and the arrangement of the image control device to receive the image or the image sequence prior to processing by the image generating device 3 may cause or possibly cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. It can be used to prevent, for example, computer electronic mail or telephone SMS messages having an image or image sequence that can be triggered from being received, processed and displayed by the image generating device 3. Remote programming of the image generating device 3 enables a relatively fast update of the device 3 to a previously unknown image or sequence of images that may or may cause a photosensitive epileptic seizure.

In addition, System 1 may provide a report or notification of detection of potentially harmful images or periodically.

This system 1 may also be used by producers of movies, television programs, or video games to review programs or games, for example, before dissemination to the public. In this way, System 1 notifies the manufacturer of the presence of an image or sequence of images that may cause a photosensitive epileptic seizure or provides an interface provided by the image control device 4 in response thereto.

3 shows an embodiment in which System 1 is applied to an image generating apparatus in the form of a video cassette, a video disc or a laser disc recorder 3. In this embodiment, the image control device 4 adjusts an image or an image sequence which may cause photosensitive epileptic seizures before being recorded on a cassette or disc 6 or displayed on the camera visual display 2.

In another embodiment, the process of adjusting the displayed image or image sequence may be classified into two main parts. In the first part, i.e., blocking, the system is required to monitor the graphical content for display on a Visual Display Unit (VDU). If the Programmable Image Control Device (PICD) chooses to modify the image, the system must be able to display the modified image instead of the original image. In this embodiment, the process of communicating the image to the PICD is called acquisition, and the subsequent output of the corrected image for display is called delivery. The processing of the acquisition and delivery of the images constitutes the blocking subsystem.

In the second part, ie filtering, the system detects potentially harmful images in the monitored content. The system is required to modify the content to remove potentially harmful images. In this embodiment, the process of identifying potentially harmful patterns, colors or flashes is called detection, and subsequent correction of the image that removes offensive material is called correction. The processing of detection and correction constitutes a filtering subsystem.

The filtering method is independent of the blocking method so that the two subsystems can be separated. Separating the system in this way has many advantages when considering the simultaneous deployment of filtering and blocking components, when considering the reuse of the same filtering method in a range of different blocking methods, and when simplifying the design of the components required by the system. To provide.

This classification is also convenient for separating platform independent implementations and platform specific implementations. While the blocking method preferably includes platform specific features such as access to operating system image representations, the filtering method may be described in a higher platform independent concept.

In this embodiment, the following predetermined rules are used to govern the behavior of the PICD in detecting harmful flashes, colors, and patterns. The rules of this embodiment are derived from the ITC Guidance Note described above. In each case, you name the rule and list the conditions it depends on. In use, the rule is violated if all dependent conditions are met.

Rule 1: Potentially Harmful Flash (PHF)

 ㆍ pair of opposite luminance changes

≥ ΔL _f cd.m ^-2 luminance difference

< ΔL _f cd.m ^-2 dark luminance image

ㆍ ＞ A _p Display area

Rule 2: Potentially Harmful Red Flash (PHR)

Change to saturated red and black, allowable value e

Rule 3: Potentially Harmful Pattern (PHP)

Pattern with 5 or more contrast stripe pairs

Rule 4: Prohibited Flash Sequence (PFS)

N PHF Flash Violation

＞ A _v display area

F Hz frequency

Rule 6: Prolonged Sequence (PS)

T ₁ S period of consecutive PHF or PHR flash violations

Rule 7: Prohibited Static Patterns (PSP)

PHP Pattern Violation

ㆍ ＞ A _p display area

≥ L _p cd.m ^-2 luminance difference

And <L _p cd.m ^-2 dark video

Rule 8: Prohibited Dynamic Pattern (PDP)

PHP oscillating, flashing, or reverse contrasted

＞ A _d display area

≥ L _p cd.m ^-2 luminance difference

And <L _p cd.m ^-2 dark video

In the above rules, the symbols used are as follows:

Display Peak White Luminance ( L )

Display gamma value ( γ _d )

Maximum safety period before long flashing sequence (sec) ( t _l )

Maximum safe marking area (rate at interval [0,1]) before flash is classified as potentially harmful ( A _p )

Maximum safety indication area (rate at interval [0,1]) before flash is classified as a violation ( A _v )

Maximum safe frequency of flash (Hz) ( f )

Flash's maximum safe luminance difference (cd.m ^-2 ) ( ΔL _f )

ㆍ Maximum safe luminance (cd.m ^-2 ) ( L _f ) of flash dark images

Maximum safe number of continuous flashes ( N )

Permissible value (rate at interval [0,1]) when matching saturated red color in the YUV region ( e )

Maximum safe display area of the pattern (ratio at interval [0,1]) ( A _p )

ㆍ Maximum safe luminance difference of the pattern (cd.m ^-2 ) ( ΔL _p )

Maximum safe luminance (cd.m ^-2 ) ( L _p ) of pattern dark bars

Maximum safe display area of the flashing pattern (ratio at intervals [0,1]) ( A _d )

Representative operating values of these parameters are as follows:

parameter value 200 cd.m ^-2 γ _d 2.2 t _l 5 s A _p 0.25 A _v 0.25 f 3 Hz ΔL _f 20 cd.m ^-2 L _f 160 cd.m ^-2 N 3 e 0.25 A _p 0.4 ΔL _p 20 cd.m ^-2 L _p 160 cd.m ^-2 A _d 0.25

In this embodiment, as in the embodiment of FIG. 1 with a computer and VDU2, FIG. 4 shows a delivery chain of digital images that is the path from the content creator to the viewer.

There is an opportunity to block and modify visual data after each delivery stage. On the one hand, the content creator himself is responsible for filtering the visual data (as described above) and on the other hand, the viewer takes steps to avoid the effects of photosensitive epilepsy (PSE) (as described above). It may be. At each stage in between, there is an opportunity to block data while varying the degree of difficulty in the implementation in each case.

One practical solution involves using a hardware image processor (see point E in FIG. 4) inserted between the computer and the VDU as in FIG. 2 above. This method allows you to monitor the entire display for harmful content, regardless of the software that created it.

The implementation method is also limited to software solutions, such that the image may be blocked at points B through D shown in the representative delivery chain of the digital image of FIG. At point B, visual data is transferred from the storage medium to a Microsoft MediaPlayer that reads AVI files from an application that requires it, such as a CD-ROM.

At point c, the application uses one of the standard graphical interfaces, such as Microsofrt Windows®, to send its output to the display operating system. Thus, the image control device 4 processes the image before being processed by the image generating device 3.

Point D represents the image data transmitted by the operating system to the graphics card. Recent developments such as DirectDraw? Allow applications to have closer access to graphics cards. This gives the impression that applications bypass the operating system and write directly to the display (indicated by dashed arrows in FIG. 4). In this case, the video control device 4 is integrated with the video generating device 3.

It should be noted that only hardware solutions can ensure that the entire display is blocked and that blocking the image at points B and C requires the support of third party filters in standard media player applications.

In general, the most effective software solution is to block data sent between the operating system and the graphics card (point D in FIG. 4). Blocking image data before reaching applications may be the most appropriate way to implement, but as mentioned above it does not guarantee the capture of all display content. After being sent to the display memory, there is some margin to block the data, for example using GDI screen capture.

There are potentially many ways to detect potentially harmful images, divided into the detection of flashes and the detection of patterns. In the detection of the glare, analysis of the change in image brightness with respect to time is used. Since the divided areas of the glare must also be measured, localized (blockwise) analysis is performed. In this analysis, each image block is classified according to the above rules 1 to 8, and the glare luminance is determined by measuring the average luminance of the image block. The flash area is determined by the cumulative area of the blocks that violate the PHF rule, and the flash frequency is determined by analyzing the distribution of PHF violations over time.

Histogram or frequency analysis is used for pattern detection. In the former, a histogram of image intensity values can be used to quickly determine whether an image is free of PSE or whether further investigation is needed. In the latter method, potentially harmful patterns occur in three main forms: parallel stripes, concentric circles (including spirals), and radial (wheels). It should be noted that variations and combinations thereof, such as checkerboards, concentric rectangles and the like, are possible.

Frequency transforms, such as the Fourier transform, decompose the signal into the current frequency reference. The pattern causing photosensitive epilepsy (PSE) results in large magnitude values at the frequency (and their product) of the current pattern. These can be further highlighted by contrast with the 1 / f frequency distribution mode where known (without PSE) images normally follow.

In Fourier domain analysis, it is necessary to scan frequencies radially and concentrically to detect radial and angular frequencies. Local (block-by-block) transformations can be used to identify which locations contain potentially harmful patterns to determine the total area affected.

Regarding the above-described detection method, fortunately, the process of correcting the image to remove potentially harmful content using many methods of correcting the PSE-induced image is relatively simple compared to the detection process. This correction is a simple application of a well-known image manipulation task. It is important that the application of these correction methods does not in itself introduce harmful flashes.

Potentially harmful flashes are preferably corrected by one of the following methods:

A method of replacing contrasted luminance with contrasting chromaticity (illuminance), such as black and white flashes with red and green;

A method of reducing the brightness contrast by adjusting the brightness of a neighboring image to an intermediate value; or

A method of replacing a saturated red flash with an alternative color such as green.

All of these methods can be implemented using pixel-by-pixel first-order arithmetic.

Potentially harmful patterns are preferably corrected by one of the following methods:

A method of substituting contrasted luminance with contrasting chromaticity (luminance), for example, black-white to red-green;

A method of reducing the brightness contrast of an image; or

A method of applying a two-dimensional low pass filter to an image to reduce the sharpness of the edges of the image.

In addition, all of these operations can be implemented using pixel-by-pixel first-order arithmetic.

While only preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

A system for adjusting an image or an image sequence displayed on a visual display of an apparatus for generating an image, the system arranged to be in electrical communication with the image generating apparatus and configured to process an image generated by the image generating apparatus. And an image control device, wherein the image control device adjusts an image or sequence of images having certain characteristics that can cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. The method of claim 1, wherein the image control device is integrally coupled to the image generating device, wherein the speed at which the image flashes in an image sequence having the predetermined characteristic that may or may cause a photosensitive epileptic seizure; A system programmable to adjust color intensity and image pattern. The system of claim 2, wherein the image control device is programmable by the viewer to prevent the display of a sensitive image or sequence of images to a human. 4. The system of claim 2 or 3, wherein the image control device is remotely programmable to update an image or sequence of images that may or may potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the image control device is adapted for time dependent analysis or histogram analysis including frequency conversion of an image having the predetermined characteristic which may cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. The system characterized by the detection. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the image control apparatus replaces the contrasted luminance with the contrasting chromaticity, or adjusts the brightness of the neighboring image portion to the average luminance to reduce the luminance contrast, or potentially By replacing harmful red flashes with another predetermined color, the image having the potentially harmful flashes is adjusted, and the image control device replaces the contrasting luminance with the contrasting chromaticity, or adjusts the brightness of the neighboring image portion to the average brightness. To adjust a potentially harmful pattern by applying a two-dimensional lowpass filter to the pattern to reduce the brightness contrast or to reduce the sharpness of the pattern edges. The image control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the image control device prevents or substantially obscures the display of a pattern or color having the predetermined characteristic which may cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. Flashing of an image sequence that can cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures by adjusting the image sequence and substantially blurring portions of the image by changing the partial color of the image or by reducing the sharpness of the image edge of the image sequence. And modify the speed within a predetermined range. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image generating apparatus comprises a computer, a game console, a video telephone or a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) video cassette digital video or laser disk recorder or player, a video camera and A system comprising a television. 9. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein said image control device is arranged to process said image or sequence of images before being processed by said image generating device. A method of adjusting an image or sequence of images having certain characteristics that can cause or potentially cause epileptic seizures using a system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, Communicating an image or an image sequence from the image generating device to an input of the image control device; Processing the image or image sequence in the image control device; Correcting the image having the predetermined characteristic within a predetermined range; And Outputting the removed image or the modified image sequence from the image control device to the visual display unit. The method of claim 10, wherein processing the image comprises detecting an image having the predetermined characteristic that may cause or cause a photosensitive epileptic seizure by time dependent analysis selected from the group consisting of frequency conversion or histogram analysis. Characterized in that. 12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the contrasting luminance is replaced with a contrasting chromaticity, or the brightness of a neighboring image portion is adjusted to an average brightness to reduce the brightness contrast or replace a potentially harmful red flash of light with another predetermined color. Thereby modifying the image with potentially harmful flashes; And Potentially by replacing the contrasting luminance with a contrasting chromaticity, reducing the brightness contrast by adjusting the brightness of the neighboring image portion to the average brightness, or by applying a two-dimensional lowpass filter to the pattern to reduce the sharpness of the pattern edges. And modifying the image having the deleterious pattern. A method of programming the image control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, Communicating an image or an image sequence having the predetermined characteristic to a programming device communicating with the image control device; And And storing the video or video sequence in the video control device. 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising communicating an image or image sequence to be removed from the image control device and removing the image or image sequence. A programmable image control device for use in an image generating device, wherein the image control device is arranged to be in electrical communication with the image generating device and is configured to process an image received or generated from the image producing device, and the photosensitive epileptic seizure And control an image or sequence of images having a predetermined characteristic that can cause or potentially cause an error. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image control device is integrally integrated with the image generating device and has potentially harmful patterns and potentially harmful flashes in the image having certain characteristics that can cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. Programmable image control device, characterized in that programmable to adjust. 17. The programmable image control apparatus of claim 16, wherein the image control apparatus is programmable by the viewer to prevent the display of an image or sequence of images that may be sensitive to a person. 18. The programmable image control device of claim 16 or 17, wherein the image control device is remotely programmable to update an image or sequence of images that may cause or potentially cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. 19. The apparatus of any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the image control device substantially blurs the portion of the image, changes the color of the portion of the image, or reduces the sharpness of the image edge of the image sequence. Programmable image control device, characterized in that to adjust the image or image sequence. 20. The apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein the image generating apparatus is a computer, a game console, a video telephone or a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a video cassette digital video or a laser disk recorder or player, a video camera. Or a television.