CONE-ROD RECEPTOR SPACES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS THAT USE CRT PHOSPHOR ANDLIGHT-EMITTING-DIODE SPECTRA

The purpose of the study is to characterize the excitation of the thre e cone types and the rods in a colorimetric system. Two representation s of photoreceptor activity are developed. In the first, rod activity is characterized within a cone colorimetric system that is based on th ree known physical primaries. Examples are given that use color CRT ph osphor spectra. We illustrate how this representation can be used to e valuate the range of chromaticities over which rod signals may intrude into color-monitor-based investigations of cone function. In the seco nd representation, mixtures of four physical primary lights are used t o manipulate the four receptor excitations independently. This method allows specification of sets of lights that isolate or silence up to t hree receptor classes or any combination of receptor classes. Examples are given that use spectra from four light-emitting diodes. This appr oach opens a field of research in which rod input to various retinal p athways can be evaluated. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America.