The quantum nature of color perception: Uncertainty relations for chromatic opposition

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Berthier, Michel, Provenzi, Edoardo
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Berthier, Michel
Provenzi, Edoardo
author_facet Berthier, Michel
Provenzi, Edoardo
contents In this paper we provide an overview on the foundation and first results of a very recent quantum theory of color perception, together with novel results about uncertainty relations for chromatic opposition. The major inspiration for this model is the 1974 remarkable work by H.L. Resnikoff, who had the idea to give up the analysis of the space of perceived colors through metameric classes of spectra in favor of the study of its algebraic properties. This strategy permitted to reveal the importance of hyperbolic geometry in colorimetry. Starting from these premises, we show how Resnikoff's construction can be extended to a geometrically rich quantum framework, where the concepts of achromatic color, hue and saturation can be rigorously defined. Moreover, the analysis of pure and mixed quantum chromatic states leads to a deep understanding of chromatic opposition and its role in the encoding of visual signals. We complete our paper by proving the existence of uncertainty relations for the degree of chromatic opposition, thus providing a theoretical confirmation of the quantum nature of color perception.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_12303
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The quantum nature of color perception: Uncertainty relations for chromatic opposition
Berthier, Michel
Provenzi, Edoardo
Neurons and Cognition
Image and Video Processing
Quantum Physics
In this paper we provide an overview on the foundation and first results of a very recent quantum theory of color perception, together with novel results about uncertainty relations for chromatic opposition. The major inspiration for this model is the 1974 remarkable work by H.L. Resnikoff, who had the idea to give up the analysis of the space of perceived colors through metameric classes of spectra in favor of the study of its algebraic properties. This strategy permitted to reveal the importance of hyperbolic geometry in colorimetry. Starting from these premises, we show how Resnikoff's construction can be extended to a geometrically rich quantum framework, where the concepts of achromatic color, hue and saturation can be rigorously defined. Moreover, the analysis of pure and mixed quantum chromatic states leads to a deep understanding of chromatic opposition and its role in the encoding of visual signals. We complete our paper by proving the existence of uncertainty relations for the degree of chromatic opposition, thus providing a theoretical confirmation of the quantum nature of color perception.
title The quantum nature of color perception: Uncertainty relations for chromatic opposition
topic Neurons and Cognition
Image and Video Processing
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.12303