CORTEX

Yo. This is the README for the CORTEX Chrome extension — a weirdly cool browser command center with an HDR glow engine, ambilight vibes, cursor trails, privacy mode, a custom new tab dashboard, page radar, and smart dark mode.

It’s built to feel like a slick utility hub instead of a boring settings page. If you just want to get it running, skip to the install section. If you want the full breakdown, this thing has all the sauce.

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What this thing is

CORTEX is a browser extension that lives in your toolbar and also hijacks the new tab page with a custom dashboard.

It does a bunch of stuff:

• HDR-style video tonemapping on pages
• Ambilight glow around videos
• particle cursor trails for the vibe
• privacy shield mode
• page radar / tech x-ray
• an upgraded new tab with clock, greeting, quote, search, and background themes
• intelligent dark mode for websites
• keyboard shortcuts to toggle modules fast

Basically it’s a command center for browser look, feel, and privacy.

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What’s inside

1) Popup controller (popup.html, popup.js)

This is the main UI you open from the toolbar.

Modules in the popup:

• HDR — HDR display engine for web/video tone mapping
• AURA — ambilight-style glow effects
• PHANTOM — cursor particle trails
• GHOST — privacy/fingerprint shield controls
• ZNTH — new tab customization settings
• RADAR — page technology scanner
• NIGHT — dark mode / night mode controls

The popup UI has these controls:

• toggles for each module
• sliders for intensity, shadows, bloom, blur, etc.
• preset buttons for HDR
• module nav and status indicator

It stores state in chrome.storage.local and pushes updates to tabs and the background worker.

2) Content script (content.js)

This is the engine that injects effects into the currently loaded web pages.

It handles:

• HDR filter building and applying using SVG filters
• video tone mapping using ACES / Reinhard / Filmic curves
• bloom, clarity, vibrance, color temp, and XDR peak adjustments
• ambient glow / ambilight for media
• particle trails / ghost-like cursor effect
• privacy blockers and anti-fingerprint heuristics
• radar scanning for page tech info
• smart dark mode injection

It listens for messages from the popup/background and updates behavior on the fly.

3) Background service worker (background.js)

That thing keeps the badge synced and routes messages.

It does:

• install defaults when the extension loads
• show badge number based on active modules
• sync state to all tabs when something changes
• respond to keyboard commands
• handle toggle hotkeys for quick module switching

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Core features

HDR display mode

• simulated HDR with tone map curves (aces, reinhard, filmic)
• XDR native mode option
• sliders for intensity, shadows, highlights, clarity, temp, vibrance, bloom
• presets: cinematic, vivid, natural, neon

Aura

• ambient glow effect around video or page content
• intensity / blur / spread / smooth controls
• choose side settings for glow

Phantom

• cursor particle trail mode
• length, size, opacity, fade controls
• type options for different visuals

Ghost

• privacy shield toggles
• tracker blocking stats
• fingerprint / UTM / WebRTC / cookie toggles
• basic stealth mode behavior

Zenith

• new tab replacement dashboard
• clock with 24h toggle
• greeting, quote, date display
• custom backgrounds
• search input and shortcuts

Radar

• page tech radar / scan feature
• shows page framework and tech details
• UI lives in the popup panel

Nightfall

• intelligent auto dark mode
• brightness / contrast / warmth controls
• exclude images toggle
• per-site mode support

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Keyboard shortcuts

This extension has built-in commands defined in manifest.json.

• Alt+C — toggle all modules
• Alt+H — toggle HDR
• Alt+N — toggle Nightfall dark mode
• Alt+G — toggle Ghost privacy mode

On macOS the same keys are used.

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Install / load it locally

If you want to run this locally in Chrome/Edge:

1. open chrome://extensions
2. enable Developer mode
3. click Load unpacked
4. pick the cortex-ch-extension folder

Then pin the extension and open the popup to start messing with it.

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File breakdown

• manifest.json — extension config, permissions, hotkeys, new tab override
• popup.html / popup.css / popup.js — toolbar UI + module controls
• newtab.html / newtab.css / newtab.js — custom new tab dashboard
• content.js — page injection engine for effects and dark mode
• background.js — service worker, badge, commands, cross-tab sync
• icons/ — extension icons

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Quick usage notes

• open the extension popup to enable modules
• use sliders and presets for HDR tuning
• turn on NIGHT for smart dark mode on websites
• enable GHOST for the browser privacy shield
• ZNTH is the new tab page config; it replaces the default Chrome new tab
• RADAR is for inspecting page tech
• press Alt+C to kill or revive all effects fast

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Notes / dev vibes

• state is saved in chrome.storage.local under cortex
• popup sends CORTEX_STATE and CORTEX_APPLY messages
• background broadcasts state changes to all tabs
• the content script identifies itself and injects filters dynamically
• you can customize owner name / branding text inside popup.js, newtab.js, and background.js

If you want to change the branding, look for BRAND.ownerName and BRAND.extensionName in the JS files.

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TL;DR

CORTEX is a chrome extension that turns your browser into a lowkey futuristic toolkit: HDR filter control, glow effects, privacy shield, page radar, and a custom new tab dashboard, all wrapped in a popup command center.

Use it if you want browser mods that feel like a hacky studio rig instead of a plain extension.