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2w ago

Scientists Use Laser to Reveal 'Olo,' a Color Beyond Human Vision

Researchers at UC Berkeley and the University of Washington have developed a method to evoke a previously unseen hue, with potential applications in vision therapy and augmentation.

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UC Berkeley scientists created a new platform called “Oz” that directly controls up to 1,000 photoreceptors in the eye at once, providing new insight into the nature of human sight and vision loss. In this photo, Oz creator Austin Roorda, a professor of optometry and vision science at UC Berkeley, demonstrates what it looks like to be part of the Oz experiment. (Credit: UC Berkeley)
Using a new technique called “Oz,” scientists at UC Berkeley can trick the eye into seeing images, videos and even a brand new color — a profoundly saturated peacock green that they named “olo.”
Scientists at the University of California say the new colour — which they've named "olo" — is a blue-green hue with an "unprecedented saturation."

Overview

  • The Oz system uses adaptive optics and precise laser targeting to stimulate individual M cones in the retina, creating the perception of a new color called 'olo.'
  • Participants described 'olo' as a hyper-saturated blue-green that cannot be replicated on standard displays or seen under natural conditions.
  • The findings, published in *Science Advances*, have been confirmed in controlled experiments involving five participants, three of whom were part of the research team.
  • While some experts hail the breakthrough as groundbreaking, others argue 'olo' may simply be an intensified version of green rather than a genuinely new color.
  • Researchers are now exploring whether the Oz method could be applied to treat color blindness and enhance human vision, though the technology remains confined to laboratory settings.