The DIY gadget reads the closed-captioning transcript as it's aired and then automatically mutes the television for 30 seconds when it picks up certain words.
Matrox PC-VCR 2.0, the included software used for TV recording, includes the capability to search for specific video using keywords in closed-captioning, as well as create text transcripts of shows.
In this case, Richardson combined a couple of Arduino circuit boards with an infrared LED light -- that little red bubble on the front of your TV remote -- and programmed the whole thing to interact with a TV's closed-captioning system.
Other TV functions built into the device creating a one of a kind viewing experience include real-time signal strength display, on-screen program information display and digital closed captioning.