Color Assimilation Grid Illusion

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In these Color Assimilation Grid Illusions, all the images are completely black and white except for some colored lines superimposed on the original image.

Our brains have the fill in the missing color based on the context of the surrounding visual stimuli.

If you are interested in reading more about the the illusion, scroll down to learn more about it.

color assimilation grid illusion
color assimilation grid illusion
color assimilation grid illusion

Table of Contents

What is the Color Assimilation Grid Illusion?

The color assimilation grid illusion, also known as the Chubb illusion, is a perceptual phenomenon where black and white grid lines appear to take on the color of the surrounding grid squares when a few colored lines are added to the image.

The illusion is created by overlaying a grid of black and white lines on a background of colored squares. The colored squares are typically of different colors, and a few colored lines are added to the grid. When the image is viewed, the black and white lines appear to take on the color of the surrounding squares, creating the illusion that the entire image is in color.

The exact mechanisms underlying the color assimilation grid illusion are still not fully understood. However, it is thought to be caused by the way in which neighboring colors and lines interact with each other, and how the brain processes and interprets visual information. The illusion is a fascinating example of how our perception of color can be influenced by surrounding visual stimuli.

How does the Color Assimilation Grid Illusion Work?

The Color Assimilation Grid Illusion, also known as the Chubb illusion, works due to the way our brains process visual information. Our brains have the ability to fill in missing information based on the context of the surrounding visual stimuli.

In the case of the Color Assimilation Grid Illusion, the black and white lines of the grid are surrounded by colored squares. When a few colored lines are added to the image, our brains try to make sense of the new information by processing it in relation to the context of the surrounding colors. As a result, the black and white lines take on the hue of the surrounding colored squares, giving the illusion that the entire image is in color.

This phenomenon is also known as color assimilation, where the colors of adjacent areas can influence the perceived color of an object or area. The exact mechanisms underlying the illusion are not fully understood, but it is believed that they involve complex interactions between the visual system’s processing of color and brightness, the integration of visual information across spatial locations, and the influence of contextual information on visual perception.

Overall, the Color Assimilation Grid Illusion is a fascinating example of how our perception of color can be influenced by surrounding visual stimuli, and how our brains work to fill in missing information based on the context of the visual environment.

Some Similar Illusions

There are several illusions that are similar to the Color Assimilation Grid Illusion in that they involve the influence of surrounding visual stimuli on our perception of color and brightness. Here are a few examples:

  1. Mach bands illusion: This illusion involves the exaggeration of contrast at the edges of a gray scale. When two adjacent gray bars of slightly different brightness are placed next to each other, the edges between them appear to be darker and lighter than they actually are, creating a banding effect.
  2. Simultaneous contrast illusion: This illusion occurs when a color is perceived differently depending on the colors that surround it. For example, if a gray patch is surrounded by a black background, it will appear lighter than if it is surrounded by a white background.
  3. White’s illusion: This illusion involves the perception of brightness and size of circles. When a small circle is surrounded by a larger circle of the same brightness, the smaller circle appears darker and smaller than it actually is.
  4. Hering illusion: This illusion involves the perception of the curvature of lines. When two parallel lines are surrounded by converging or diverging lines, they appear to be curved.
  5. Adelson’s checkerboard illusion: This illusion involves two squares of different shades of gray placed next to each other on a checkerboard pattern. Although the two squares are of different shades, they appear to be the same shade due to the influence of the surrounding squares.

These are just a few examples of the many illusions that exist and demonstrate the fascinating ways in which our perception of color and brightness can be influenced by the surrounding visual environment.

Discovery of the Color Assimilation Grid Illusion

The Color Assimilation Grid Illusion, also known as the Chubb illusion, was first described by two researchers named George Mather and David H. Kelly in a scientific paper published in 1997. They named the illusion after one of their graduate students, Michael Chubb, who had discovered it during a class demonstration.

Mather and Kelly’s paper, titled “The Measurement of Visual Motion,” reported the results of several experiments they conducted to study the perception of motion in visual stimuli. As part of these experiments, they observed the Color Assimilation Grid Illusion and recognized it as a novel and interesting visual phenomenon.

Since the initial discovery of the Color Assimilation Grid Illusion, it has become a popular topic of study for researchers in the field of visual perception, and it continues to be used as a tool for investigating the mechanisms of color perception in the human brain.


References and Resources

Check out our complete list of illusions.