New Color Discovered: Scientists Create 'Olo' Beyond Human Vision
Imagine seeing a color that no one has ever seen before. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have made a breakthrough that allows people to perceive a completely new color, dubbed "olo". This innovative technique, called Oz, opens up exciting possibilities for vision research and potential treatments for color blindness.
How Does It Work?
Our eyes contain cone cells that are responsible for color vision. There are three types of cones: short-wavelength (S), medium-wavelength (M), and long-wavelength (L). The Oz system bypasses the traditional method of mixing light wavelengths and instead uses safe microdoses of laser light to stimulate individual cone cells.
By precisely targeting and activating only the M cones, the researchers were able to create the perception of olo, a blue-green color with unprecedented saturation. This level of control over cone cell stimulation was previously unattainable, allowing for the creation of a color that exists outside the natural range of human vision.
Confirming a New Color
To ensure that olo was indeed a new color, the team conducted color matching tests. Volunteers were asked to match olo to colors on a near-monochromatic laser, which produces the most saturated colors within the natural spectrum. They found that participants could only match olo by reducing the saturation of a blue-green color, proving that olo lies beyond our normal color perception.
Future Applications of the Oz System
The Oz system's ability to stimulate thousands of cone cells simultaneously is a major advancement. Researchers are now exploring various potential applications, including simulating cone loss in healthy individuals to better understand retinal diseases. They are also investigating whether it's possible to induce a fourth type of cone cell, potentially expanding our color vision even further.
Hannah Doyle, a co-lead researcher, emphasizes that showing olo is just the beginning. The Oz system offers a platform for conducting a wide range of new experiments and could potentially lead to treatments for color blindness, allowing people to experience the colors they are currently missing.
The possibilities are vast, and the future of color vision research looks brighter than ever.
Source: Gizmodo