What they are is a regular pattern, but, the pattern is applied to a shape with a slight offset. So once the brain resolves the regular pattern, it can spot that the pattern is broken along the outline of the shape that is also covered in the same repeating pattern. The amount of offset to the break in the pattern is then understood as the shape, which appears to "stand off" from the background.
A simplified version would illustrate this clearly - if I wrapped square card in checkerboard patterned plastic wrap and held it up against a background of the same checker pattern, if I lined it up just right, you would not see the card, but if I moved it out of alignment you would begin to perceive the card is a separate object. This is all these pictures are, except the pattern is more difficult to detect, it looks like a random pattern but it is really a regular pattern that takes a while to process, but once your brain does process the pattern the object becomes obvious. You can then imagine that a 3D object would distort the pattern further which your brain could also interpret to give depth to the object.
So to "see" the object you have to give your brain time to spot the repeating pattern, the best way to do that is to look around the outer parts of the image carefully, the process is unconscious, so you will feel like nothing is happening, but you have to maintain focus on examining the pattern until it just happens and out pops the image once your brain does the work. It often takes patience and focus.
Hypnosis is similar, although I do not trust any stage hypnotist enough to voluntarily silence my inner analyst and follow instructions without question, they are slightly different modalities when there is a third party.
What they are is a regular pattern, but, the pattern is applied to a shape with a slight offset. So once the brain resolves the regular pattern, it can spot that the pattern is broken along the outline of the shape that is also covered in the same repeating pattern. The amount of offset to the break in the pattern is then understood as the shape, which appears to "stand off" from the background.
A simplified version would illustrate this clearly - if I wrapped square card in checkerboard patterned plastic wrap and held it up against a background of the same checker pattern, if I lined it up just right, you would not see the card, but if I moved it out of alignment you would begin to perceive the card is a separate object. This is all these pictures are, except the pattern is more difficult to detect, it looks like a random pattern but it is really a regular pattern that takes a while to process, but once your brain does process the pattern the object becomes obvious. You can then imagine that a 3D object would distort the pattern further which your brain could also interpret to give depth to the object.
So to "see" the object you have to give your brain time to spot the repeating pattern, the best way to do that is to look around the outer parts of the image carefully, the process is unconscious, so you will feel like nothing is happening, but you have to maintain focus on examining the pattern until it just happens and out pops the image once your brain does the work. It often takes patience and focus.
Hypnosis is similar, although I do not trust any stage hypnotist enough to voluntarily silence my inner analyst and follow instructions without question, they are slightly different modalities when there is a third party.
👆 That was an AWESOME explanation. I had no idea how they worked.
Thanks Fren.
Right! It’s fantastic being able to have conversation with smart people. This place is full of them. Great explanation.
Thanks for the extensive explanation.
I usually focus about 1 inch beyond the picture, it seems to make the 3D object jump out faster.