The transformation illusion is a type of optical illusion that occurs when a static image appears to change over time.
Table of Contents
- How does the Transformation Illusion work?
- Versions of Transformation Illusion
- Illusions like Transformation Illusion
- Discovery of Transformation Illusion
- References and Resources
- Sign up for emails from Mental Bomb
How does the Transformation Illusion work?
A transformation illusion works by manipulating the visual cues that the brain uses to perceive motion. The brain uses a combination of sensory information, including changes in image brightness, color, position, and contrast, to construct a sense of motion from a static image. When these cues are manipulated, the brain can be tricked into perceiving motion where there is none.
For example, the wagon wheel effect is a type of transformation illusion that occurs when spokes in a spinning wheel appear to change direction or disappear. This illusion is caused by the visual system’s sensitivity to changes in position, combined with the high temporal resolution of the retina, which allows the visual system to process multiple changes in position per second. As the wheel rotates, the spokes change position rapidly, and the brain perceives this rapid change as a change in direction.
Another example of a transformation illusion is the background segregation illusion, in which a static image appears to separate into foreground and background elements that move independently. This illusion is created by manipulating the contrast between different parts of the image, and the brain’s sensitivity to changes in contrast over time. The brain uses these changes in contrast to construct a sense of motion, even though the image itself is static.
In both of these examples, the transformation illusion works by manipulating the visual cues that the brain uses to perceive motion. By doing so, the illusion tricks the brain into perceiving motion where there is none, creating a visually striking and compelling effect.
Versions of Transformation Illusions
The transformation illusion is a type of optical illusion that occurs when a static image appears to change over time. This type of illusion is created by manipulating the visual cues that the brain uses to interpret motion, such as apparent motion, the phi phenomenon, and beta movement.
One classic example of a transformation illusion is the wagon wheel effect, which occurs when spokes in a spinning wheel appear to change direction or disappear. Another example is the background segregation illusion, in which a static image appears to separate into foreground and background elements that move independently.
Transformation illusions can be created using a variety of techniques, such as animation, video projection, and anaglyph stereo imaging. These illusions demonstrate the power of visual perception to construct a sense of motion from static stimuli and highlight the complex and dynamic processes involved in visual perception.
The following are some other examples of Transformation Illusions
Illusions like Transformation Illusions
The following are some illusions related to Transformation Illusions
In Peripheral Drift illusions, the image or pattern appears to move or drift, even though it is actually stationary. This movement is caused by the brain’s attempt to interpret the image or pattern, which is often complex or ambiguous. The movement can be in any direction, such as horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
The rotating snakes is a peripheral drift illusion that consists of a grid of shapes, with some of them appearing to be rotating or undulating. The illusion is created by the interaction of the shapes with the neural processing of the visual system.
With Illusory motion, static image appears to be moving due to the interaction of color contrasts, shapes, and position.
The Moiré pattern illusion: This illusion is created by superimposing two similar patterns on top of each other, such as a grid of lines or circles. The resulting pattern appears to be moving or changing.
The barber pole illusion is an optical illusion that is characterized by the appearance of a spiral pattern on a vertically striped pole.
The illusion is created by the interaction of the contrasting colors of the stripes with the motion of the pole, which can make it appear to be moving in a spiral pattern.
he barber pole illusion is often used to study the neural mechanisms of visual perception, particularly the way that our brains process and interpret motion.
The Scintillating Grid Illusion, in which a grid of black and white squares appears to pulsate or “breathe” when viewed from the periphery of the image.
The Hermann Grid Illusion, in which the intersections of a white grid on a black background appear to be gray, even though they are actually the same color as the background.
The Zöllner Illusion, in which parallel lines appear to be tilted or bent when intersected by diagonal lines.
The Fraser Spiral Illusion, in which a pattern of short, curved lines appears to form a spiral.
The Café Wall Illusion is a visual illusion that is created by a grid of alternating light and dark horizontal and vertical lines. The lines appear to be bent or tilted, even though they are actually straight.
These illusions are usually caused by the way our eyes process visual information and the way the brain interprets it. They can also be caused by the interaction of different visual elements, such as lines and angles, in the image. They are often used in research on visual perception and the neural basis of perception.
Discovery of Transformation Illusions
The phenomenon of optical illusions and the concept of visual perception have been studied by many scientists and artists throughout history, so it is difficult to attribute the discovery of transformation illusions to a single person.
However, some of the earliest scientific studies of visual perception and optical illusions were conducted by the German psychologist and physicist Hermann von Helmholtz in the late 19th century. Helmholtz was one of the first to systematically study the ways in which the visual system constructs a sense of the world from sensory input, and he made important contributions to our understanding of visual perception and the mechanisms underlying optical illusions.
Hermann von Helmholtz was a German physician, physicist, and philosopher of science who lived from 1821 to 1894. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of modern physics and biology and made important contributions to a wide range of fields, including optics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and the physiology of perception.
Helmholtz is best known for his work in the field of sensory physiology, where he made pioneering contributions to our understanding of how the senses work and how the brain processes sensory information. He was one of the first to systematically study the ways in which the visual system constructs a sense of the world from sensory input, and he made important contributions to our understanding of visual perception and the mechanisms underlying optical illusions.
In addition to his work in sensory physiology, Helmholtz made important contributions to the fields of physics, mathematics, and philosophy, and he was widely recognized as one of the leading scientific thinkers of his time. Today, he is remembered as one of the founders of the tradition of scientific naturalism and as a pioneering researcher who helped to lay the foundation for modern theories of perception and the science of optics.
Since then, many scientists, artists, and psychologists have studied and explored the phenomenon of optical illusions and the various types of illusions, including transformation illusions. While it may be difficult to identify a single person who discovered or popularized transformation illusions, this area of research continues to be an active and important field, with new findings and insights being added all the time.
It’s also not clear who first discovered illusory motion. Some credit Aristotle in approximately 350 BC.
But these type of illusions have been observed and studied by various researchers over time, and many studies have contributed to the understanding of the phenomenon.
For example, peripheral drift illusions have been observed since the early 20th century and have been studied by various researchers in the field of visual perception, including scientists, psychologists, and neuroscientists.
Some of the early studies on peripheral drift illusions were conducted by the German physiologist Ernst Mach in the late 19th century, and later by the German psychologist Max Wertheimer in the early 20th century.
In the 20th century, several scientists and researchers have made significant contributions to the understanding of peripheral drift illusions and the underlying neural mechanisms, such as the American psychologist J.J. Gibson, the American neuroscientist David Hubel, and the British neuroscientist Melvyn Goodale.
References and Resources
Check out our complete list of illusions.