computer visionpythonaiartificial intelligencemachine learning

Optical illusions

Ben Gorman

Ben Gorman

Life's a garden. Dig it.

Optical illusions aren't just fun - they're a legitimate and effective way to study the human vision system. Here are a few of my favorites..

As you peruse these optical illusions, think about what they imply in regards to the architecture of your vision system.

The Blind Spot

  1. Close your left eye.
  2. Focus on the symbol, on the left. You should still see the circle in your periphery.
  3. Slowly increase the distance between yourself and the screen.

At some point, the circle will maigcally disappear from your periphery before coming back into view.

Why?

Your eye looks something like this

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22261-optic-nerve

The photoreceptors that receive incoming light live on the retina, on the inside of the back wall of your eye. However... see that optic nerve pertruding out the back wall? It's presense is where your retina lacks photoreceptors, creating a literal "blind spot" in each eye.

Your optic nerve sends electrical signals from your eye to your brain.

Checkered Shadow Illusion

In this image, the squares marked A and B are the same color!

Don't believe me? See below.

The shadow combined with the checkerboard pattern causes your brain to adjust its perception of the light hitting your retina. In other words, your brain doesn't just show you what your eyes see. 🤯