Mach bands
Mach Bands are an optical illusion named after the physicist Ernst Mach, who first described this phenomenon. This illusion highlights the human visual system's edge-detection capabilities, making the contrast at the edges seem more pronounced than it actually is. Mach Bands give the illusion of varying brightness levels due to the spatial distribution of light, even though the actual luminance changes uniformly. This effect is particularly noticeable when viewing images with graded gradients.
Overview[edit | edit source]
The Mach Bands effect can be observed when looking at two adjoining areas with a gradual change in luminance. The human eye perceives an artificially increased contrast at the border between the two areas. This is because the visual system enhances edges, making the dark side near the boundary look darker and the light side look lighter than they are. This phenomenon is a result of the lateral inhibition process in the retina, where neurons inhibit the activity of neighboring neurons, leading to a heightened contrast at edges.
Significance[edit | edit source]
Understanding Mach Bands is crucial in various fields such as neuroscience, psychology, and optical illusions. In neuroscience, it provides insights into how visual processing works in the brain, particularly how edge detection and contrast enhancement occur. In psychology, Mach Bands are used to study human perception and the brain's interpretation of visual stimuli. Additionally, this effect has practical implications in image processing and photography, where understanding and manipulating contrast can improve image quality.
Applications[edit | edit source]
In digital image processing and photography, knowledge of the Mach Bands effect can be applied to enhance digital images. By adjusting the contrast at edges, photographers and image processors can make images appear more sharp and detailed. Furthermore, in the field of visual arts, artists can use this effect to create illusions of depth and volume on flat surfaces.
See Also[edit | edit source]
This article is a psychology-related stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it!
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates, categories Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
