To see the newly discovered color called "olo," one must undergo a highly specialized and experimental process that is not accessible to the general public. Here is how it works:
- Scientists use a device called "Oz," which involves mapping the retina of an individual in great detail, identifying the locations and types of cone cells (L, M, and S cones) responsible for color vision
- Using eye-safe lasers, the Oz system targets and stimulates only the M cone cells (those sensitive to green light) with precise laser microdoses, bypassing the usual overlapping stimulation of other cones
- The participant must keep their head very steady, often biting down on a plate to minimize movement, while the laser is directed into their eye in a controlled lab environment
- This selective stimulation tricks the brain into perceiving a color outside the normal human color spectrum—a highly saturated teal-like hue named "olo"
- Only five people have seen olo so far, including some of the researchers themselves, because the process requires specialized equipment and is uncomfortable and impractical for general use
- The color cannot be replicated on screens or in nature and is described as more vivid and intense than any known color, even surpassing the saturation of a green laser pointer
In summary, seeing olo requires a dark lab setting, a retinal mapping procedure, and laser stimulation of specific retinal cells using the Oz device. It is currently limited to a handful of people and is not something that can be seen under normal circumstances or with conventional displays
