These awesome Waving Squares Illusions by Akiyoshi Kitaoka use peripheral drift to create the perception that the shapes are moving in a wave pattern when they are completely static.
If you are interested in learning how the Waving Squares Illusion and peripheral drift work, scroll down to read more about it.
Table of Contents
- What is the Waving Squares Illusion?
- How does the Waving Squares Illusion work?
- Some Similar Illusions
- Discovery of the Waving Squares Illusion
- References and Resources
What is the Waving Squares Illusion?
The Waving Squares Illusion is an example of Peripheral drift which is a visual illusion that occurs when the edges of an object or pattern appear to be moving or vibrating, even though the object itself is stationary. This illusion is created by specific patterns that are designed to interact with the visual system in a way that produces the perception of movement.
The moving heart illusion is a powerful demonstration of the brain’s ability to create the perception of movement and change even when there is none. It is also an example of the types of visual illusions that can be used to study the ways that the brain processes visual information and creates our perception of the world around us.
The patterns used to create peripheral drift typically involve high-contrast black and white elements arranged in a circular or spiral pattern. When the pattern is viewed, the edges of the elements appear to be shifting or vibrating, which creates the illusion of movement. The effect is strongest when the pattern is viewed peripherally, meaning that it is viewed using the outer edges of the visual field rather than by looking directly at it.
Peripheral drift is a type of motion illusion, which means that it creates the perception of movement even though there is no actual motion involved. It is thought to be caused by the way that the visual system processes information about the edges and boundaries of objects. The illusion can be used in various contexts, including in art and design, and in the study of visual perception and cognition.
How does the Waving Squares Illusion Work?
The Waving Squares Illusion uses peripheral drift which is a visual illusion that occurs when a stationary pattern appears to be in motion or to be rotating when viewed peripherally. This phenomenon is caused by the way that our brains process information about visual stimuli in the periphery of our visual field.
When we look at an object directly, our eyes are able to focus on the details of the object and the brain processes this information in a relatively straightforward way. However, when we look at an object in our peripheral vision, the visual information is less detailed and less well-defined. This is because the cells in the retina responsible for detecting visual information in the periphery of our vision are less sensitive to detail and color than those in the fovea, which is the central part of the retina responsible for high-acuity vision.
In the case of the peripheral drift illusion, the pattern being viewed in the periphery of our vision is usually composed of repetitive shapes or textures that are oriented in a particular direction. The edges of these shapes or textures are usually shaded in a gradient of color, with the darkest shade at the edge and gradually becoming lighter towards the center of the shape.
As we view the pattern in our peripheral vision, our brain attempts to interpret the edges of the shapes or textures as a moving boundary, similar to the edges of an object that is actually moving. However, because the edges of the shapes or textures are arranged in a particular way, the brain is unable to determine a clear direction of motion. This ambiguity causes the brain to continue searching for a clear directional cue, which creates the illusion of motion or rotation in a direction that appears to be continuous.
Peripheral drift illusion’s like the Waving Squares Illusion is caused by the brain’s attempt to interpret ambiguous visual information in the periphery of our vision. The illusion is created when the edges of repetitive shapes or textures are arranged in a particular way and shaded in a gradient of color, which creates the perception of motion or rotation where there is none.
Some Similar Illusions
There are many visual illusions that are similar to peripheral drift used in Waving Squares Illusion the in that they create the perception of movement or change where there is none. Here are a few examples:
- The Rotating Snakes illusion: This illusion features a set of overlapping shapes that appear to be rotating in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, even though they are not actually moving.
- The Motion Aftereffect illusion: This illusion occurs when the brain perceives motion in the opposite direction of a previously viewed moving stimulus. For example, after staring at a moving image of a waterfall for a period of time, a stationary scene may appear to be moving upwards.
- Fraser Spiral Illusion: This illusion consists of a spiral pattern made up of contrasting colors that appear to be expanding outwards or contracting inwards when viewed peripherally, giving the illusion of rotation.
- Café Wall Illusion: This illusion features a pattern of horizontal lines that are offset by alternating rows of small black and white rectangles. When viewed peripherally, the edges of the rectangles create the illusion of motion or a wave-like pattern.
- Lilac Chaser Illusion: This illusion consists of a series of blurred circles in different colors on a gray background. When fixating on the central circle, a peripheral drift illusion occurs, causing the other circles to appear to be moving in a circular motion.
- The Pinna-Brelstaff illusion: This illusion involves a set of spirals that appear to be moving in a particular direction when the viewer moves their head or eyes, even though the spirals are actually stationary.
- Enigma Illusion: This illusion consists of a series of black and white shapes arranged in a grid pattern. When viewed peripherally, the edges of the shapes create the illusion of motion, causing the shapes to appear to be pulsating.
- The Adelson’s Checker Shadow illusion: This illusion features a checkerboard pattern with a shadow over one section that appears to change the brightness of the squares it covers, even though all of the squares are the same color.
These illusions, and others like them, use various techniques to create the perception of motion or rotation in stationary patterns when viewed peripherally. They rely on the brain’s interpretation of visual information in the periphery of vision, which can be less accurate and less detailed than information received by the fovea, the central part of the retina.
Discovery of the Waving Squares Illusion
The Waving Squares Illusion was created by Akiyoshi Kitaoka, a Japanese psychologist and visual perception expert who is known for his research on visual illusions and his creation of many famous optical illusions. He is a professor in the Department of Psychology at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan.
Kitaoka’s work has focused on the study of perception, specifically on how the brain processes visual information and creates the experience of seeing. He has developed a number of visual illusions that demonstrate how the brain can be tricked into perceiving things that are not actually there or that are different from reality.
Some of Kitaoka’s most famous illusions include the Rotating Snakes illusion, the Checker Shadow illusion, and his work on the Fraser Spiral illusion. His work has been featured in scientific journals and popular media around the world, and he is considered one of the leading researchers in the field of visual perception.
References and Resources
In addition to the Waving Squares Illusion, check out our complete list of illusions and this awesome Rotating Disks Illusion and this cool Mona Lisa Bar Illusion and this Moving Bars Illusion.