Impossible Figures Brought to Life in Virtual Worlds

Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) computer scientists have developed software that depicts physically impossible images in three-dimensional virtual environments. The software deforms the impossible figures by a different amount for each viewing angle to maintain the illusion of impossibility.

"We model the shape as if it's a non-rigid body, like an amoeba, which can be deformed," says CUHK's Tai-Pang Wu. The system could be applied to graphics packages for multimedia artists, Wu says.

"People love visual illusions and tricks and this is certainly an interesting geometric exercise," says Tel Aviv University's Daniel Cohen-Or.

View a video of optical illusions created in a virtual 3-D environment.

From New Scientist
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