inhabiting blue

<p>Architects by in large employ physical materials to generate and define space. Materials such as timber, stone, bricks, and mortar envelop and contain. Yet when described in a purely scientific sense, the visible world can be defined by light, or the absence of light and variations in between. Seminal author and investigator of the senses, Juhani Pallasmaa writes, ‘The experiences of matter, space and light are inseparable ... there is no true architectural experience without light’ (2016, p. 7). Extending this statement, the use of light generates space, creating an architectural experience. The research proposition becomes: Using a reductivist approach, and employing only hue, saturation, and brightness to replace physical materials, this creative body of work explores how colour can be used to evoke a response in mixed realities. The research methodology is Design-Led research, following similar beliefs to Peter Dowton, that by doing, knowing is enhancing knowledge. Literature reviews indicated that there are two main approaches to colour psychology and therapy. From this, the research aims to bridge the gap between popular culture claims and heavily scientific or psychology-based research, to explore the effects of colour through architectural design. Following this, colour theory was researched, followed by a feasibility study of design tests. In the sketch design phase, light at the wavelength frequency of blue was tapped into, and its effects researched. Unique blues were created from nature: flora and fauna were sourced and boiled into pigments. The final outcome is mixed media; Virtual Realities, physical works, and a unique experience. Throughout this project, tests were executed including reviews to gain an indication of whether a response was evoked. The results of this architectural portfolio, which leans into the artistic vein of architecture, show that various saturations and brightness of hues in the blue range can indeed evoke responses.</p>

inhabiting blue

<p>Architects by in large employ physical materials to generate and define space. Materials such as timber, stone, bricks, and mortar envelop and contain. Yet when described in a purely scientific sense, the visible world can be defined by light, or the absence of light and variations in between. Seminal author and investigator of the senses, Juhani Pallasmaa writes, ‘The experiences of matter, space and light are inseparable ... there is no true architectural experience without light’ (2016, p. 7). Extending this statement, the use of light generates space, creating an architectural experience. The research proposition becomes: Using a reductivist approach, and employing only hue, saturation, and brightness to replace physical materials, this creative body of work explores how colour can be used to evoke a response in mixed realities. The research methodology is Design-Led research, following similar beliefs to Peter Dowton, that by doing, knowing is enhancing knowledge. Literature reviews indicated that there are two main approaches to colour psychology and therapy. From this, the research aims to bridge the gap between popular culture claims and heavily scientific or psychology-based research, to explore the effects of colour through architectural design. Following this, colour theory was researched, followed by a feasibility study of design tests. In the sketch design phase, light at the wavelength frequency of blue was tapped into, and its effects researched. Unique blues were created from nature: flora and fauna were sourced and boiled into pigments. The final outcome is mixed media; Virtual Realities, physical works, and a unique experience. Throughout this project, tests were executed including reviews to gain an indication of whether a response was evoked. The results of this architectural portfolio, which leans into the artistic vein of architecture, show that various saturations and brightness of hues in the blue range can indeed evoke responses.</p>

Tunable Faraday rotation of ferromagnet thin film in whole visible region coupled with aluminum plasmonic arrays

To date, the plasmonic nanostructure utilized for magneto-optical (MO) enhancement has been limited to noble metals with resulted enhancement in the green-red part of visible spectrum. In this study, we fabricated a diffractive hexagonal array composed of Al nanoparticles (NPs) with a thin 7.5 nm ferromagnetic film and pushed the enhanced Faraday rotation (FR) into the blue to green range of the visible light. The freedom and ability to control the working spectral region in the whole visible range from 400 to 800 nm were also demonstrated by changing the lattice constant and the dielectric environment of plasmonic nanostructures. Particularly, in the blue range we obtained the maximum FR 0.57° at 410 nm with a broad boosting region around 0.5° from 400 to 500 nm. Moreover, the largest FR 1.66° was shown at 638 nm by tuning the dielectric environment into a higher refractive index medium. The results of our investigation demonstrate the potential of Al-based magnetoplasmonic effect and offer opportunities to push the MO spectral response out of visible range into the ultraviolet-blue range.

True UV color vision in a female butterfly with two UV opsins

ABSTRACT In true color vision, animals discriminate between light wavelengths, regardless of intensity, using at least two photoreceptors with different spectral sensitivity peaks. Heliconius butterflies have duplicate UV opsin genes, which encode ultraviolet and violet photoreceptors, respectively. In Heliconius erato, only females express the ultraviolet photoreceptor, suggesting females (but not males) can discriminate between UV wavelengths. We tested the ability of H. erato, and two species lacking the violet receptor, Heliconius melpomene and Eueides isabella, to discriminate between 380 and 390 nm, and between 400 and 436 nm, after being trained to associate each stimulus with a sugar reward. We found that only H. erato females have color vision in the UV range. Across species, both sexes show color vision in the blue range. Models of H. erato color vision suggest that females have an advantage over males in discriminating the inner UV-yellow corollas of Psiguria flowers from their outer orange petals. Moreover, previous models ( McCulloch et al., 2017) suggested that H. erato males have an advantage over females in discriminating Heliconius 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-OHK) yellow wing coloration from non-3-OHK yellow wing coloration found in other heliconiines. These results provide some of the first behavioral evidence for female H. erato UV color discrimination in the context of foraging, lending support to the hypothesis ( Briscoe et al., 2010) that the duplicated UV opsin genes function together in UV color vision. Taken together, the sexually dimorphic visual system of H. erato appears to have been shaped by both sexual selection and sex-specific natural selection.

Blue-emitting polystyrene scintillators for plastic scintillation dosimetry

Objectives Purpose of this research was to find the best blue-emitting fluorescent substance for plastic scintillator used for gamma radiation dosimetry. Scintillator should convert gamma radiation into blue light with high efficiency. Methods Plastic scintillators with fixed concentration of various fluorescent additives, called wavelength shifters, absorbing ultraviolet light and emitting blue light were manufactured by radical bulk polymerization of styrene. Light output were measured and compared to the light output of commercial plastic scintillator. Results Performed measurements of charge Compton spectra confirmed usefulness of majority of researched substances as wavelength shifters in plastic scintillators with emission maximum at blue range of visible light. Conclusions Plastic scintillation dosimeter may be constructed from manufactured polystyrene-based scintillators. Performance of synthesized scintillators is close to commercial polystyrene scintillators.

Short-Wave Sensitive (“Blue”) Cone Activation Is an Aggravating Factor for Visual Snow Symptoms

Background and Purpose: Visual Snow (VS) is a disorder characterised by the subjective perception of black-and-white visual static. The aetiology of this condition is not known. In our previous work we suggested that there is a link between short-wave (S or “blue” cone) signals and severity of visual snow symptoms. Therefore we aimed to further characterise this potential link.Methods: Patients (n = 22) with classic VS based on the diagnostic criteria and healthy controls (n = 12), underwent Intuitive Colorimetry (IC) testing (Cerium Visual Technologies). Twelve hue directions (expressed as angle in CIE 1976 LUV space relative to D65) were rated on a five-point scale from preferred (relieving, positive score) to non-preferred (exacerbating, negative score), and overall preferred and non-preferred angles were chosen.Results: A non-preferred violet region near the tritanopic confusion line / S-cone axis (267 deg.) was strongly associated with exacerbation of VS symptoms (range 250–310 deg, mean 276 ± 16, n = 20, Rayleigh p &lt; 0.001). Two subjects with non-preferred region &gt; 90 deg from mean were considered as outliers. Median rank at hue angle 270 deg was significantly lower than at angle 90 (−1.5 vs. 0.0, p &lt; 0.001, Wilcoxon non-parametric rank-sum test). Patients showed preference for one of two spectral regions which relieved VS symptoms: orange-yellow (range 50–110 deg., mean 79 ± 24, n = 14) and turquoise-blue (range (210–250 deg., mean 234 ± 27, n = 8).Conclusion: Our results show that visual snow symptoms are exacerbated by colour modulation that selectively increased levels of S-cone excitation. Because S-cone signals travel on primordial brain pathways that regulate cortical rhythms (koniocellular pathways) we hypothesis that these pathways contribute to the pathogenesis of this disorder.

258 Blue Blockers’ Ability to Block Circadian-Active Light Emitted from a Tablet

Introduction Short-wavelength light emitted from electronic devices in the evening can harm circadian health by suppressing endogenous melatonin and phase-delaying the timing of the wake-sleep cycle. Blue-blocking glasses are one possible intervention to reduce this exposure. The present study evaluated the differential ability of commercially available blue-blockers to filter out the blue range of visible-spectrum light emitted by a common electronic device. Methods A calibrated spectroradiometer (Ocean Insight), cosine corrector, optic fiber, and software package were used to measure the absolute irradiance (uW/cm^2/nm) emitted from a commercially-available computer tablet (iPad) displaying a blank white screen in a closeted dark room. Thirty-one commercially-available blue-blockers were individually placed between the cosine corrector and the tablet. At a standardized distance and angle, the resulting intensity profile was measured and analyzed. Each lens was evaluated individually relative to the light source and then evaluated across subtypes, including red-tinted lenses (RTL), orange-tinted lenses (OTL), orange-tinted lenses with blue reflectivity (OBL), brown-tinted lenses (BTL), yellow-tinted lenses (YTL), and clear reflective blue lenses (RBL). Results There was significant variation in tablet-generated light-blocking across the full spectrum (one-way ANOVA, p &lt; 0.0001) and for the 440-530nm range in particular (one-way ANOVA, p &lt; 0.0001). RTL blocked 99%, OTL blocked 81%, OBL blocked 75%, BTL blocked 83%, YTL blocked 33%, and RBL blocked 17% of broadspectrum light (380-780nm). In the 440nm-530nm range, RTL, OTL, and OBL blocked 100% of the emission, while BTL blocked 81%, YTL blocked 47%, and RBL blocked 18% of it. Conclusion When using a popular tablet device, RTL, OTL and OBL blocked the most circadian photosensitive parts of the light exposure, indicating they can best preserve the timing of endogenous melatonin secretion in the presence of tablet light at night. By contrast, RBL demonstrated very little efficacy. Support (if any) R01MD011600, R01DA051321

Melanopsin-mediated pupillary responses in bipolar disorder—a cross-sectional pupillometric investigation

Background Visible light, predominantly in the blue range, affects mood and circadian rhythm partly by activation of the melanopsin-containing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). The light-induced responses of these ganglion cells can be evaluated by pupillometry. The study aimed to assess the blue light induced pupil constriction in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Methods We investigated the pupillary responses to blue light by chromatic pupillometry in 31 patients with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder, 22 of their unaffected relatives and 35 healthy controls. Mood state was evaluated by interview-based ratings of depressive symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) and (hypo-)manic symptoms (Young Mania Rating Scale). Results The ipRGC-mediated pupillary responses did not differ across the three groups, but subgroup analyses showed that patients in remission had reduced ipRGC-mediated responses compared with controls (9%, p = 0.04). Longer illness duration was associated with more pronounced ipRGC-responses (7% increase/10-year illness duration, p = 0.02). Conclusions The ipRGC-mediated pupil response to blue light was reduced in euthymic patients compared with controls and increased with longer disease duration. Longitudinal studies are needed to corroborate these potential associations with illness state and/or progression.