Our sensory experimentation
-Jed
Colour blindness
This is not directly related to the project as such, but it is a side piece of research I am doing. The test consisted of me asking test subjects within a controlled environment to look at Ishihara plates and give me their answer within 5 seconds. The test showed that no-one has any form of colour blindness, where everyone can be classified as trichromats, with trichromatic vision (Normal colour vision).
I showed 10 plates to the test subjects and the correct answers were given. It tests to see if there is a red/green deficiency and many others. Here is a link to an online Ishihara test, but take into consideration that your display may not be colour calibrated.
This was a good basis for me to learn about colour blindness and expand on my current knowledge: Colour Blindness.
Below are the results, which show the results from the experiment. If the patch was recognised correctly, then a 1 was given. If the patch was not recognised then a 0 was given.
This was a good basis for me to learn about colour blindness and expand on my current knowledge: Colour Blindness.
Below are the results, which show the results from the experiment. If the patch was recognised correctly, then a 1 was given. If the patch was not recognised then a 0 was given.
In my previous post, I mentioned about Daniel Kish, a blind male in the USA, who uses echolocation to navigate. What is fascinating about Kish, is that his brain has undergone cross-modal plasticity. In its most simplistic terms, the brain is able to re-wire itself when a sense is no longer in use, for example. This diagram above, illustrates how cross-modal plasticity works within the brain. In part D of the diagram, there is no visual input, and using other senses, the visual cortex starts to re-wire itself, so that the other senses can work more efficiently. In the case of Kish, he had an MRI scan of his brain, which confirmed that he has cross-modal plasticity, which aids his echolocation!
As far as I am aware from research, humans are unable to echolocate in the same way as bats do. This is mainly down to mother nature, as the pinna does not function in the same was as bats. We cannot hear or produce such high frequencies and we certainly cannot send out 200 pulses every second!
As we are unable to adhere specifically to bat's echolocation, humans are able to echolocate, but at a lower frequency and at a slower rate. In this video here - YouTube, Daniel Kish talks about his life and how he uses echolocation to navigate his surroundings!
Jonathan
As we are unable to adhere specifically to bat's echolocation, humans are able to echolocate, but at a lower frequency and at a slower rate. In this video here - YouTube, Daniel Kish talks about his life and how he uses echolocation to navigate his surroundings!
Jonathan
I have conducted a bit of research into synesthesia and sensory experimentation. Due to the overlap in the research, the information is duplicated over the two pages.
Jonathan - 28/02/14.
- The visual system will always predict the future. This is demonstrated by throwing a ball into the air three or four times or so and then catching it. But on the last attempt, start the throwing motion, but don't throw the ball. Despite the ball not being released from the hand, the visual system will visualise the ball being thrown. Our eyes are not so silly, as the object has not triggered a reaction. However, the brain has visualised this movement, of what we are expecting. Effectively, our brain overrules our eyes.
- Another interesting sensory experiments is the use of the 'McGurk effect'. If we were to say "BAA" out loud, we would notice our lips have a certain movement. But when we say "BAA", but with lip movement of "FAR", our senses become confused; they end up clashing. If we were to listen to "BAA" with our eyes closed, we would not be able to tell the difference, despite the change in lip movement. This part works on the hearing sense only. If on the other hand, we do open our eyes, we would see "BAA" and "FAR", even when "BAA" is being said. More information on the McGurk effect is here.
- Hollow Mask Illusion. As the face starts to turn, we think that we have outsmarted the illusion. Sadly enough, this isn't the case. We know that it's physically hollow because of the geometrics. If we were to place ourselves there, we could poke it, right? Because our brains are so clever and adapted to recognise a face instantaneously, we perceive it as another face, not a hollow piece of plastic. It is said to become convex. We are passed down this information from our parents, and use this information even from the day we are born.
- If we were faced with new situations daily, and we had to learn what we are doing for every single situation, then our brains would be so big. It would so big, our skulls would have to adapt and so does the rest of the body too. To put this into context, every time we approach a door, the handle will be different. It has a different colour, different shape, different texture, different smell even! If we were to have to remember all of these things, about one little piece of our daily experience, then our brains would be huge! Instead, we remember what we really need to know and that's it. Again, going back to context, we see a handle for a door; we know the shape, we know the action, job done, we are through the door.
- Synesthesia is mixing senses together. Sometimes, some people will accompany images with a smell, for example, a picture of a steak will trigger the hearing sense and will produce a bang! It's not pleasurable for the sufferer, but can be used for the good reasons. It's quite useful to artists. Sadly though, not till recently, it was never taken so seriously.
- If person 'a' has a visual/taste synesthesia then it is believed that the two senses of the brain are cross-wired. When a baby is born they are born with synesthesia as the two parts are cross-wired like so, brain connections. As the Human grows over time, these connections fade and so synesthesia doesn't seem to be present. Synaesthetes are able to keep these connections.
- Imagine a glass full of a green liquid. If we tasted the liquid, our perception to its taste would be adjusted because of our sight. Person 'a' might suggest that it is washing up liquid, Whilst in fact it is actually a mint flavoured drink with a green dye added. We eat with our eyes.
- Rubber Hand Illusion. This shows how the sight and touch are both interlinked. Which shows that we have some synesthesia embedded into us, so many years down the line. We adopt the rubber hand as there is a change in the brain. Neuroplasticity - Rewiring the brain. The brain can change, given a new experience. For blind people they can move around obstacles, via plasticity, using another sense entirely.
- Some blind people use echolocation. They are able to deduct images from their surroundings, from sound waves that leave the mouth by clicking the tongue and bounce off objects, into their ears. The brain is clever enough to use 'empty' areas of the brain, where a sense that is no longer operational, can be used for strengthening another sense.
Jonathan - 28/02/14.