CaptionCue

Captions that carry more than words.

Watching TV shouldn't be exhausting. Traditional subtitles often flatten the emotional nuance of a scene and force sound cues to compete with dialogue in a crowded space.

CaptionCue is a perceptive captioning system designed specifically with and for Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers to bring back the depth of the viewing experience, without the visual fatigue.

Help us shape the beta

Why it feels different

We believe you shouldn't have to consciously decode complex color schemes or watch text bounce around the screen to understand what's happening. The impact is in the subtleties.

Emotional depth, naturally

Tone is conveyed through slight adjustments in font weight, letter spacing, and micro-color tints. You feel the tension or the softness intuitively, without heavy color blocks or distracting animations.

Sound cues have their own space

Environmental sounds shouldn't interrupt the conversation. Dialogue stays firmly anchored at the bottom, while important sound cues appear quietly in the top-right corner. Predictable placement means less eye tracking.

Complete visual calm

Zero motion. We strictly avoid text that scales up, slides in, or bounces. Every caption block appears instantly and stays perfectly still, respecting your visual space and lowering cognitive load.

Built for the couch

Designed specifically for the "10-foot TV experience". We use a high-contrast layout, a large base font (Atkinson Hyperlegible), and clear speaker names so you always know who is talking.

We need your input

CaptionCue is an early prototype. We know that the only way to build something genuinely useful is to listen to the people who will actually rely on it.

We are looking for honest feedback from Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers. Does this approach reduce your eye strain? Do the emotional cues feel natural? We want to know.

Apply for early access

Please fill out this brief form, and we'll send you a link to our test environment. There's no pressure and no tight deadlines—just your honest thoughts when you have the time.

How do you identify?

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Smart TV to test this?

No, the prototype runs directly in your web browser. You can test it on a standard computer monitor, though we recommend sitting a bit further back to simulate a living room environment.

Is this an automated AI startup?

No. CaptionCue is a design and accessibility research project. We are focused exclusively on improving the visual delivery, perceptive depth, and cognitive comfort of captions for end-users.

Will the text distract me with colors and animations?

No. Our core principle is "zero motion" and "visual calm." We avoid heavy colored blocks and animations entirely, using only subtle typographic shifts that you process naturally while reading.