Overview

• The color ‘olo,’ described as a highly saturated blue-green, was observed through targeted laser stimulation of medium-wavelength cones in participants' eyes.
• The study, published in Science Advances on April 18, 2025, involved five participants with normal color vision who confirmed ‘olo’ lies outside the natural human color gamut through controlled experiments.
• The Oz Vision System, developed by researchers at UC Berkeley and the University of Washington, enabled the precise stimulation of retinal photoreceptors to create the perception of ‘olo.’
• Some vision scientists dispute whether ‘olo’ constitutes a new color, arguing it could be an extreme variant of existing hues rather than a novel visual experience.
• While researchers highlight potential applications in vision science and color-blindness therapies, the specialized equipment required makes consumer use unlikely in the near future.