How does color vision really work?
We all know about the standard theory of color vision -- that there
are three kinds of cones in the human eye partitioning the world of
colors into three dimensions. Researchers have even found evidence
for multiple pigments through molecular genetics.
But does this really explain how color vision works? There is a great
deal about color vision about which the standard theory says nothing
or indeed says the wrong thing. Consider the following:
The standard theory can not explain the subjective color phenomenon
where spectrally ordered colors are induced with only time-modulated
black and white illumination as in the well-known Benham's Top.
Multiple pigments have been found within the same cone. This makes no
sense in the standard three cone model.
The color violet looks very much like purple, a mixture of red and
blue. The standard model fails to explain this basic fact of color
vision.
Using adaptive optics techniques it has been possible to stimulate a
single cone in the living eye. Instead of either a red or green or
blue sensation when such a single cone is stimulated (as required by
the three-cone theory) subjects report seeing virtually any color of
the spectrum, even white, regardless of the color of the illuminating
light.
Why do cones have a cone shape? To date no one has offered an
explanation of the absolute dichotomy in shape between the rods that
provide black and white night vision and the cones that provide color
vision in daylight. Are they different is shape just so we can tell
them apart?!
And what about color blindness? It has long been debated whether the
common forms of color deficit vision are due to missing "red" or
"green" cones or whether the pigments got mixed up so that, say both
"red" and "green" cones have the same green pigment. In fact,
experimental evidence exists contradicting both "explanations".
The standard model of human color vision is inherently a static
model. It utterly fails to explain many of the dynamic aspects of
color vision, including the "resolution of mixed colors".
An accounting of these and many other mysteries of color vision is
offered by a new, comprehensive model of color vision - the cone
spectrometer model. The model is based on fundamental dielectric
waveguide propagation effects in a tapered fiber - cones. It directly
explains all of the common phenomena of color vision as well as a
number of what have hitherto been profoundly puzzling and enigmatic
aspects of color. It also suggests a new understanding of the common
forms of color deficit vision and a new approach to possible clinical
treatments.
The details of the difficulties with the standard model and how the
cone spectrometer model resolves all these issues can be found on the
website:
http://ConesAndColor.net
