About Al Seckel's Homepage of Illusions, Perception & Cognitive Science©, LLC

Al Seckel with Priscilla Heard and Richard Gregory

The focus of my research is on visual and other types of sensory illusions. Illusions can provide a wonderful window into how the brain works by revealing underlying mechanisms in a way that normal perception fails to do.

I am extensively collecting, researching, and experimenting with illusions to understand what are the necessary conditions for them to work. I am particularly interested in understanding the neuronal correlates of visual illusions, that is how they can be explained in terms of the electrophysiology and neuroanatomy of the retinal and cortical networks that mediate visual perception. I am particularly interested in the processes that underlie and mediate vision and perception.

I am currently peforming experiments on size constancy.

Although many illusions have not been correctly categorized yet (as scientists have yet to fully understand the neuronal mechanisms at work), I am trying to make some improvements on the present-day categorization of illusions. For the past several years I have embarked on an extensive hunt to collect all sorts of sensory illusions (not just visual). I have collected interesting effects from laboratories around the world, magicians, artists, published books and articles, and from his own efforts. In this regard, I have been helped and supported by professor Christof Koch of the California Institute of Technology. I now have the world's largest collection of illusions, the majority of which are unpublished. I am actively looking to add to this collection, so if you know of, or have discovered, any effects or out-of-print books on illusions that should be added to this collection, please contact me immediately!

I am also working on a comprehensive academic treatise on illusions, perception, and the neuronal correlates of illusions for the brain and cognitive science division of The MIT Press. My co-author is professor Shin Shimojo of the California Institute of Technology. This hybrid textbook will contain a CD with innumerable psychophysical demonstrations and experiments (one will have full control over various critical parameters of many illusions, thereby testing various underlying rules that mediate vision), comprehensive and up-to-date scientific explanations, and a complete bibliography. Most of the material that will be appearing in this book has not been previously available.

I have worked for the past three years putting together a massive interactive software exhibit for science museums "Your Mind's Eye," which will enlighten and inform the general public about the wonders of the visual system. Your Mind's Eye contains innumerable high end psychophysical demonstrations, artwork, puzzles, and up-to-date scientific explanations. There is a copy for use for Caltech and visting scholars on display in the Shimojo Laboratory by appointment only. A list of museums displaying this program will be made shortly.

I have put together a nice website containing interactive illusion demonstrations, illusory artwork, references, etc. Due to the limitations of the web, I can not display the high quality of demonstrations contained on Your Mind's Eye. However, it is useful for students. Click here to get to this award-winning site. IllusionWorks

If you have any interesting illusion demonstrations, please let me know at the Shimojo Lab address below. All other correspondence, business and personal, please send to the IllusionWorks address.

I have lectured on the topic of illusions and their neuronal correlates at universities throughout the world, including Harvard University, MIT, Caltech, UCSD, Oxford University, University of Cambridge, University of Bristol, UC, Berkeley, University of Lund, University of Utrecht, etc.

WATCH THE DISCOVER CHANNEL'S PROGRAM "SECRET SENSES" ON JUNE 11, 1997 at 9:00 p.m. (EST). Seckel will be demonstrating some illusions and talking about perception. Other guests featured are Christof Koch and Vilamayur Ramachandran.

How to contact Al Seckel: