Our lives are dominated by artificial images presented by electronic visual display devices. The basic design of these devices is based upon a model of human vision dating back more than 80 years. At its core is the assumption that vision arises from the activity of three types of cone photoreceptor (commonly called blue, green and red cones) each maximally responsive to a different part of the visible spectrum. Accordingly, visual display devices present images in 3 colour planes (RGB) to recreate patterns of brightness and colour similar to those experienced in the real world. This design has proved remarkably successful and durable. However, more recent understanding of how the eye works suggests that it is time for a change. We now know that the human eye contains another photoreceptor that is active under daytime conditions. This photoreceptor, called melanopsin, drives several sub-conscious responses to light (such as making us more alert and setting the phase of our biological clocks) as well as contributing to vision. Melanopsin is not accounted for in current visual display design. However, addition of further colour planes to the RGB architecture would allow us to control aspects of vision under control of melanopsin as well as cones. During this award we have designed, built and validated such displays. We call them ‘quadplane’ displays and we are currently describing their impact on sub-conscious responses and visual appearance. Our early data indicate that quadplane displays provide an opportunity to control alertness – helping us to concentrate during the day, while allowing us to watch TV or access the internet in the evening without impacting subsequent sleep. The images produced on quadplane displays are also more pleasing and natural. Our future plans are to engage the consumer electronics industry to see this breakthrough translated into a new generation of visual display devices.
