Laser Technology is Unveiling New Colors Beyond Human Imagination

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Imagine a color so new, so beyond human perception, that it has no counterpart in the natural world.

For centuries, it was believed that humans could only perceive a limited range of colors based on the capabilities of the eye's three types of cone cells. But recent breakthroughs have shattered that assumption.

Thanks to advanced laser technology and a device called Oz, scientists have unveiled a new color, olo, a hue unlike anything previously imagined.

This discovery not only opens up philosophical questions about the nature of reality but also hints at how much more there is to uncover about the human mind and senses.

Dr. Brian Wandell Team Explores the Human Color Perception

Journey to discovering olo began at the University of California, Berkeley, where a team of researchers led by Dr. Brian Wandell set out to explore the edges of human color perception. Using the Oz device, which emits precise laser pulses, scientists were able to stimulate only the medium-wavelength cones (M cones) in participants’ eyes.

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Origins of the Name ‘OLO’

Unlike standard colors, which are perceived through the combined activity of all three cones (short, medium, and long), olo arises from the exclusive activation of M cones. Participants described seeing an intensely saturated blue-green hue, something that felt completely alien compared to any color they'd ever encountered.

The name olo was cleverly derived from the binary sequence "010," representing the sole activation of the M-cone channel.

OLO is Real Just as Other Impossible Colors Out There

What makes olo particularly fascinating is that it belongs to a rare family of so-called impossible colors. These are hues that theoretically cannot be seen because the overlapping sensitivities of our cone cells cancel each other out.

Forbidden colors, chimerical colors, and imaginary colors all fall under this category. Previous experiments have hinted that under specific conditions, humans might glimpse combinations like "reddish-green" or "yellowish-blue", mixtures normally thought to be mutually exclusive.

Is Olo a Hybrid Color?

However, olo is different. It isn’t a hybrid or blen, it is a singular and standalone color emerging from the brain’s isolated interpretation of one type of photoreceptor's input. It is pure, vivid, and utterly outside the conventional color wheel, redefining what we thought was perceptually possible.

How the Oz Device Hack Our Retina to Create a New Reality

At the heart of this discovery lies the remarkable Oz device. Unlike traditional light-based technologies that uses spectral metamerism, Oz uses spatial metamerism. This means it delivers finely controlled laser beams that directly target specific clusters of photoreceptors without blending wavelengths.

Adaptive optics, a technology originally developed for astronomy to correct for atmospheric distortions, enables Oz to pinpoint and stimulate individual cones with microscopic precision.

By stimulating just the M cones and leaving the L (long-wavelength) and S (short-wavelength) cones unstimulated, the device tricks the brain into perceiving olo, effectively hacking the very fabric of visual experience.

Does Olo Matters?

The implications of unveiling a color like olo extend far beyond academic curiosity. In neuroscience and ophthalmology, this discovery could pave the way for potential revolutionary treatments for color blindness and other vision disorders.

If scientists can manipulate perception at the level of individual cone cells, it might become possible to artificially restore color vision in those who lack it. In technology and design, the findings hint at future display systems capable of creating richer, previously unimaginable visuals.

Stuart Semple Using Olo to Create his New Art Piece

Some researchers are even exploring how olo might inspire new forms of digital art or be integrated into virtual and augmented reality experiences, giving users a glimpse into a broader sensory world. British artist Stuart Semple has already attempted to recreate the feeling of olo in his art, naming his interpretation "yolo" — although true replication remains elusive without the laser-based technique.

Future Potential of Color Discovery

The discovery of olo through laser technology is not just a scientific breakthrough, it is a profound reminder that the world we perceive is only a small slice of what actually exists.

For centuries, human perception was seen as the definitive window to reality. But with each innovation, from telescopes to microscopes, and now to devices like Oz, we continue to uncover layers of existence that were previously invisible.

Olo challenges us to rethink our trust in the senses and invites a future where colors, sounds, and other experiences once thought impossible become part of our everyday lives. In this expanding universe of perception, perhaps the greatest discovery is yet to come.

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