Discovering a New Dimension of Color
Image by Unsplash
Color is one of the most fundamental ways we experience the world around us. Growing up, children learn about primary colors and how mixing them extends to more colors. However, new studies show there’s more to color than we’ve ever experienced.
Our eyes rely on cone cells to see different wavelengths of light, ultimately corresponding to the colors we perceive. In simpler terms, our eyes use three types of cells, called cones, to see color. One type picks up short wavelengths (blue), another picks up medium wavelengths (green) and the last one picks up long wavelengths (red).
At the University of California, Berkeley, scientists have used a high-tech device called Oz, allowing for the control of tens of thousands of cone cells within the eye. When stimulating the green-sensitive cones, one’s brain fills in the missing gaps from the other cone cells, creating a new color, olo. Olo isn't visible to the human eye in natural light or digital screens because it doesn’t exist in the real world like standard colors. Participants who were able to experience the brand new color described it as a vivid teal color, but that it was unfamiliar. One person felt it was a jittering experience, the purest color they’ve ever seen compared to the closest monochromatic color. Because this color is not easily accessible or easy to display, it can only be experienced through this specific device. The discovery of olo sparks the creation in the art and design world. Artists and creatives have long explored color to express emotion, identity and perspective. The idea that there are colors we’ve never seen opens up endless possibilities, sparking questions like, “Could virtual reality one day let us experience olo and other new colors as part of immersive art?”
Beyond the Oz technology being created and used, the olo technique could help scientists discover how our brains and eyes work together to interpret color. Globally, with around 350 million people being colorblind, the discovery could lead to new tools for helping people with color blindness or visual impairments. The discovery of olo redefines the limits of human perception and proves that there’s still so much left to explore.
