Rotation Generated by Translation

2013 First prize
Jun Ono, Akiyasu Tomoeda and Kokichi Sugihara
Meiji University and CREST, Japan

(© 2013 Jun Ono, Akiyasu Tomoeda and Kokichi Sugihara )

This illusion concerns apparent rotation generated by pure translation. Square patterns consisting of four segments appear to rotate when they move straightly at a constant speed across the grid background. More surprisingly, the rotations in opposite directions can be generated by exactly the same square patterns. This illusion might be explained by well-known inchworm illusion; inchworm illusion arises at the four segments one after another resulting in the impression of rotation. This illusion is new in the sense that the rotation is generated by pure
translation.

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Impossible motion: magnet-like slopes

2010 First prize
Kokichi Sugihara
Meiji Institute for Advanced Study of Mathematical Sciences, Japan

(© 2010 Kokichi Sugihara)

In this video, wooden balls roll up the slopes just as if they are pulled by a magnet. The behavior of the balls seems impossible, because it is against the gravity. The video is not a computer graphic, but a real scene. What is actually happening is that the orientations of the slopes are perceived oppositely, and hence the descending motion is misinterpreted as ascending motion. This illusion is remarkable in that it is generated by a three-dimensional solid object and physical motion, instead of a two-dimensional picture.

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