Counting Dots

[Andy Ceponis]

http://grimp.weyland-yutani.net/pics/findblackdot.jpg

[Greg Harris]

am i supposed to count the white dots or the black dots?

[Angela Poynton]

Glen ... you only have one eye???

[pearl]

all together 35 dots

[Ajith Kallambella]

Try doing it with one of your eyes closed..it hurts less.

[Richard Boren]

Would it do the same thing if we had three eyes?
[This message has been edited by Richard Boren (edited May 11, 2001).]

[Thomas Paul]

Thta's an interesting illusion!

[Jim Yingst]

The idea is to count the black dots.
For extra fun they could use an animated GIF which contains moving black dots - but I suspect that's quite unnecessary.

[octavyn pittman]

Jim, you've got a cruel streak...
OP

[Ling Wu]

Originally posted by Greg Harris:
am i supposed to count the white dots or the black dots?

Why is it that the black dots only appear where you are not staring? Or is it just an illusion?
[This message has been edited by Ling Wu (edited May 11, 2001).]

[Jim Yingst]

This web page takes advantage of a little-known feature in the latest version of Internet Explorer which allows applets to determine where on the screen your eye is currently focused using infrared signals from the monitor which bounce off the eye and are subsequently detected by the CPU. By monitoring the current eye focus position, the software is able to place black dots only on locations which you're not currently looking at. With practice, you can defeat this by changing eye position very quickly. Try to confuse the software by starting to move your eyes in one direction, then quickly switch to moving in a different direction at a right angle to the first direction. If you do it just right you will be able to see the black dot clearly before it is erased. If not, just keep practicing for several hours - eventually something will happen.

[Greg Harris]

here is another cool illusion:
Click here!
this one is even better if you have a couple minutes...
Click here...
[This message has been edited by Greg Harris (edited May 11, 2001).]

[Andy Ceponis]

Lol Jim.

[Ray Marsh]

Jim... I'm shocked and appalled at your cruelty. My optometrist thanks you, however.
P.S. I'm typing this with my eyes closed as I am no longer able to focus on a computer screen. Guess I'll have to switch to brain surgery, as I can't see good anymore.

[Mapraputa Is]

Jim, did You discuss Your idea with Johnson Chong before posting? I can smell some influences here...
[This message has been edited by Mapraputa Is (edited May 12, 2001).]