Alexis Krasnova
Detection and prevention of triggers for photosensitive epilepsy seizures in YouTube videos
Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School
Photosensitive epilepsy affects 1.5 million people worldwide, most of them being children and adolescents. For those affected, bright flashes and stripes may trigger seizures. My project makes watching YouTube videos safer by detecting potentially triggering patterns and hiding them.
I performed background research on what stimuli might provoke photosensitive epilepsy seizures and designed an algorithm for detecting such patterns in digital videos. My program analyzes the video, finds bright flashes and harsh stripes, and dims the video at the predetermined times, resulting in a safer and more enjoyable viewing experience. I tested my program on randomly selected YouTube videos as well as on known high-risk videos to check its effectiveness. The program successfully flags 95% of potentially triggering videos. I plan to make my project accessible to the public, as it could make the lives of many people safer without limiting their access to YouTube.
Excellence Award – Senior Bronze Medal
Sponsor: Youth Science Canada
Engineering Innovation Award $1000
Western University Entrance Scholarship $1000
University of Ottawa Entrance Scholarship $1000