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The number of discernible colors perceived by dichromats in natural scenes and the effects of colored lenses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 July 2008

JOÃO M.M. LINHARES*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Minho University, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
PAULO D. PINTO
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Minho University, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
SÉRGIO M.C. NASCIMENTO
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Minho University, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: João Manuel Maciel Linhares, Department of Physics, Minho University, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. E-mail: jlinhares@fisica.uminho.pt

Abstract

The number of discernible colors perceived by normal trichromats when viewing natural scenes can be estimated by analyzing idealized color volumes or hyperspectral data obtained from actual scenes. The purpose of the present work was to estimate the relative impairment in chromatic diversity experienced by dichromats when viewing natural scenes and to investigate the effects of colored lenses. The estimates were obtained computationally from the analysis of hyperspectral images of natural scenes and using a quantitative model of dichromats' vision. The color volume corresponding to each scene was represented in CIELAB color space and segmented into cubes of unitary side. For normal trichromats, the number of discernible colors was estimated by counting the number of non-empty cubes. For dichromats, an algorithm simulating for normal observers the appearance of the scenes for dichromats was used, and the number of discernible colors was then counted as for normal trichromats. The effects of colored lenses were estimated by prior filtering the spectral radiance from the scenes with the spectral transmittance function of the lenses. It was found that in dichromatic vision the number of discernible colors was about 7% of normal trichromatic vision. With some colored lenses considerable improvements in chromatic diversity were obtained for trichromats; for dichromats, however, only modest improvements could be obtained with efficiency levels dependent on the combination of scene, lens and type of deficiency.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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