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Introduction to Color - Brown University

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CS123 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHICS<br />

Recep<strong>to</strong>rs in Retina<br />

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Recep<strong>to</strong>rs contain pho<strong>to</strong>pigments that produce electro-chemical response<br />

Rods (sco<strong>to</strong>pic): only see grays, work in low-light/night conditions, mostly in periphery<br />

Cones (pho<strong>to</strong>pic): respond <strong>to</strong> different wavelengths <strong>to</strong> produce color sensations, work in<br />

bright light, densely packed near center of retina (fovea), fewer in periphery<br />

Young-Helmholtz tristimulus theory 1 : 3 cone types in the eye, each of which is most<br />

sensitive <strong>to</strong> a particular range of visible light, with roughly a normal distribution<br />

Three recep<strong>to</strong>r types can produce a gamut of colors that are contained in a 3-space of hue,<br />

saturation and value (lightness/brightness)<br />

To avoid overly literal interpretation of R,G, B, perceptual psychologists often use S<br />

(short), I (intermediate), L (long) as a measure of wavelength instead<br />

1<br />

Thomas Young proposed idea of three recep<strong>to</strong>rs in 1801. Hermann von Helmholtz looked at theory from a<br />

quantitative basis in 1866. Although they did not work <strong>to</strong>gether, the theory is called the Young-Helmholtz theory<br />

since they arrived at same conclusions.<br />

Andries van Dam<br />

<strong>Color</strong> 45/57

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