Dynamic transitions of blind spots in the Hermann grid illusion

TL;DR

This paper investigates the Hermann grid illusion and proposes that blind spots (optic discs) play a significant role in its perception, offering a new perspective on a long-standing visual phenomenon.

Contribution

It introduces a hypothesis that blind spots contribute to the Hermann grid illusion, providing a novel explanation for the phenomenon.

Findings

Blind spots influence the perception of the Hermann grid illusion.

The proposed hypothesis offers a new approach to understanding the illusion.

Potential implications for visual neuroscience and perception theories.

Abstract

Hermann discovered the grid illusion in 1870, but its cause has remained a mystery for more than 150 years. In 1960, Baumgartner proposed a hypothesis for the illusion based on neural receptive fields, but Geier presented a counterexample in 2008. In 1995, Schrauf devised the scintillating grid illusion, an improvement on the Hermann grid illusion. I propose that a hypothesis involving blind spots (optic discs) can significantly contribute to unraveling the mystery of the grid illusion.