Visual phantoms
Black phantoms (standard type)
The visual phantom illusion refers to a phenomenon that an illusory grating appears to bridge the occluder that occludes a luminance-modified grating. When the luminance of the occluder is the lowest luminance of the grating, dark regions appear to be bridged. It is characteristic that phantoms appear in front of the occluder.
Genter, C. R. II. & Weisstein, N. (1981). Flickering phantoms: A motion illusion without motion. Vision Research, 21, 963-966.
Gyoba, J. (1983). Stationary phantoms: A completion effect without motion and flicker. Vision Research, 23, 205-211.
Tynan, P. & Sekuler, R. (1975). Moving visual phantoms: A new contour completion effect. Science, 188, 951-952.
White phantoms
When the luminance of the occluder is the highest luminance of the grating, light regions appear to be bridged.
Sakurai, K. & Gyoba, J. (1985) Optimal occluder luminance for seeing stationary visual phantoms. Vision Research, 25, 1735-1740.
Photopic phantoms
An illusory grating in phase with the inducing grating appears BEHIND the occluder.
Kitaoka, A., Gyoba, J., & Kawabata, H. (1999). Photopic visual phantom illusion: its common and unique characteristics as a completion effect. Perception, 28, 825-834. MS-Word file (2.3MB)
Neon phantoms
An illusory grating in phase with the inducing grating appears in the gap.
Kitaoka, A., Gyoba, J., Kawabata, H., and Sakurai, K. (2001) Two competing mechanisms underlying neon color spreading, visual phantoms and grating induction. Vision Research, 41, 2347-2354
Second-order phantoms
Low-contrasted regions appear to form phantoms.
Gyoba, J., Sasaki, H., & Sakurai, K. (2000). Visual phantoms can be produced by second-order gratings. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 41, S228 (Abstract no. 1198).
Characteristic of visual phantoms
Black phantoms and white phantoms show high visibility when the inducing grating is of low contrast.
The next section displays works of visual phantoms.
"Steam"
Curved illsury contours might be observed on the wood patterns.
Copyright A.Kitaoka 2002
"Mountains"
The perception of mist seems to be due to white phantoms.
Copyright A.Kitaoka 2002
"Phantom spirals"
The perception of misty spirals is due to white phantoms.
Copyright A.Kitaoka 2003
"Phantom spirals 2"
The perception of misty spirals is due to white phantoms.
Copyright A.Kitaoka 2003