Estimating individual cone fundamentals from their color-matching functions

Estimation of individual spectral cone fundamentals from color-matching functions is a classical and longstanding problem in color science. In this paper we propose a novel method to carry out this estimation based on a linear optimization technique, employing an assumption of a priori knowledge of the retinal absorptance functions. The result is an estimation of the combined lenticular and macular filtration for an individual, along with the nine coefficients in the linear combination that relates their color-matching functions to their estimated spectral-cone fundamentals. We test the method on the individual Stiles and Burch color-matching functions and derive cone-fundamental estimations for different viewing fields and matching experiment repetition. We obtain cone-fundamental estimations that are remarkably similar to those available in the literature. This suggests that the method yields results that are close to the true fundamentals

Fundamentals of color teaching in post-graduate education

In this research we present a framework on the theory of color culture and science education in the context of a master program in Color De sign & Technology organized in Italy since 2014. Th e master is organize d in three main phases Fundamentals, Project Work and Internship. The first phase is composed of lectures and theoretical lessons that gives the students a base from theory and technique, relating to disciplines such as physics, optics, colorimetry, psych ology and perception . Fundamentals give all the base knowledge that the students are then asked to integrate in the project works, to propose and develop color projects for different design assignments , and in the Internship, that establish a link between the academia and compan ies who work with color in various fields like design, architecture, textiles and paints. Here the F undamentals will allow the students to build up their future professional experience in the chosen field

Gradient metasurfaces: a review of fundamentals and applications

In the wake of intense research on metamaterials the two-dimensional analogue, known as metasurfaces, has attracted progressively increasing attention in recent years due to the ease of fabrication and smaller insertion losses, while enabling an unprecedented control over spatial distributions of transmitted and reflected optical fields. Metasurfaces represent optically thin planar arrays of resonant subwavelength elements that can be arranged in a strictly or quasi periodic fashion, or even in an aperiodic manner, depending on targeted optical wavefronts to be molded with their help. This paper reviews a broad subclass of metasurfaces, viz. gradient metasurfaces, which are devised to exhibit spatially varying optical responses resulting in spatially varying amplitudes, phases and polarizations of scattered fields. Starting with introducing the concept of gradient metasurfaces, we present classification of different metasurfaces from the viewpoint of their responses, differentiating electrical-dipole, geometric, reflective and Huygens' metasurfaces. The fundamental building blocks essential for the realization of metasurfaces are then discussed in order to elucidate the underlying physics of various physical realizations of both plasmonic and purely dielectric metasurfaces. We then overview the main applications of gradient metasurfaces, including waveplates, flat lenses, spiral phase plates, broadband absorbers, color printing, holograms, polarimeters and surface wave couplers. The review is terminated with a short section on recently developed nonlinear metasurfaces, followed by the outlook presenting our view on possible future developments and perspectives for future applications.Comment: Accepted for publication in Reports on Progress in Physic

Natural images from the birthplace of the human eye

Here we introduce a database of calibrated natural images publicly available through an easy-to-use web interface. Using a Nikon D70 digital SLR camera, we acquired about 5000 six-megapixel images of Okavango Delta of Botswana, a tropical savanna habitat similar to where the human eye is thought to have evolved. Some sequences of images were captured unsystematically while following a baboon troop, while others were designed to vary a single parameter such as aperture, object distance, time of day or position on the horizon. Images are available in the raw RGB format and in grayscale. Images are also available in units relevant to the physiology of human cone photoreceptors, where pixel values represent the expected number of photoisomerizations per second for cones sensitive to long (L), medium (M) and short (S) wavelengths. This database is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial Unported license to facilitate research in computer vision, psychophysics of perception, and visual neuroscience.Comment: Submitted to PLoS ON

On Object-Orientation

Although object-orientation has been around for several decades, its key concept abstraction has not been exploited for proper application of object-orientation in other phases of software development than the implementation phase. We mention some issues that lead to a lot of confusion and obscurity with object-orientation and its application in software development. We describe object-orientation as abstract as possible such that it can be applied to all phases of software development

More on Meta-Stable Brane Configuration by Quartic Superpotential for Fundamentals

For the case where the gauge theory superpotential has a quartic term as well as the mass term for quarks, the nonsupersymmetric meta-stable brane configuration was found recently. By adding the orientifold 6-planes and the extra fundamental flavors to this brane configuration, we describe the meta-stable nonsupersymmetric vacua of the gauge theory with antisymmetric flavor as well as fundamental flavors in type IIA string theory.Comment: 16 pp, 4 figures; second paragraph of section 1, figures 2, 3, 4, the last paragraph of page 5, the equation (2.1) and the footnote 2 are improved and to appear in PL

Panpsychism and Real Mental Causation

The following paper is a panpsychist metaphysics and seeks to avoid any radical emergence of mentality. Science has progressed by stripping the world of all mental qualities but a complete understanding of the world must ultimately put these back. The two types of mental qualities that must be reinstated as fundamentals are the private worlds of individual subjects and phenomenal qualities like colors. I view these as separate aspects of mind although they have a history of being conflated. In this proposal qualities or proto-qualities exist in the public domain and are not restricted to or fenced into the private minds of subjects. Thus there is a fundamental dualism as both private efficacious conscious observers and publically observable phenomenal qualities exist as natural entities at the most basic level. The following is a simple model example: Suppose electrons of certain vibrational energy levels always radiate the color blue while others of different vibrational energy levels radiate different colors thereby expressing universal psychophysical bridging laws. Electrons are mental subjects and within an atom can all perceive each other and orchestrate their actions to create the probabilistic atomic structure. The psychophysical laws that cause generation of phenomenal qualities as public objects are universal and the qualities are the identical ones that are observed by the higher level subjects. In this model all minds at lower and higher levels are fundamental particles that have causal efficacy. The difference is the lowest level particles move themselves by influencing the direction and timing of their own quantum jumps while the higher level minds influence the probability distribution of the quantum jumps of lower level ones. Unlike Leibnizian monads these monads have windows and can really view each other and interact. Then the world can be seen as a communication network of interacting individuals each broadcasting and receiving information in a universal language of phenomenal qualities