<p>One similar idea is the <a href="http://www.moillusions.com/2009/10/blue-diamonds-optical-illusion.html">Blue Diamonds Optical Illusion</a>, is a series of identical things
that appear to be a series of darker and darker and darker things, indefinitely.
It shows that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornsweet_illusion">Cornsweet illusion</a> can be repeated over and over again.
This reminds me of the way the Shepard tone plays the same thing over and over again,
but the pitch seems to get higher and higher.</p>

<p>I suspect a similar approach might be able to construct an illusion that appears to be "always getting bluer".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-03T04:01:06.977Z
2012-12-03T04:01:06.977Z
David Cary
<p><a href="http://illusionoftheyear.com/2006/infinite-regress-illusion/" rel="nofollow">Peter Tse's Infinite Regress Illusion</a> creates the illusion of a stimuli that is continually moving away from a target.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-03T19:40:37.967Z
2012-12-04T18:50:14.770Z
2012-12-04T18:50:14.770Z
Jeff
<p>Is there any chromatic analogue of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepard_tone">Shepard tone</a>?  I am imagining that each pure tone would correspond to a pure wavelength of light, transformed in such a way that the middle of three consecutive octaves would correspond to the peak sensitivity of the R, G, and B cones respectively.  Would the light have the corresponding description of "always getting bluer (redder)"?  If, say, one had been spending a long time immersed <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu7jA8EHi_0">in a game like this</a>, would it create the illusion of accelerating toward (away) without actually moving?  Any references to similar ideas?</p>

<perception><color><auditory-discrimination>
Is there any chromatic analogue of the Shepard tone?
Dan Brumleve
# Is there any chromatic analogue of the Shepard tone?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-11-19)

Is there any chromatic analogue of the [Shepard tone](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepard_tone)? I am imagining that each pure tone would correspond to a pure wavelength of light, transformed in such a way that the middle of three consecutive octaves would correspond to the peak sensitivity of the R, G, and B cones respectively. Would the light have the corresponding description of "always getting bluer (redder)"? If, say, one had been spending a long time immersed [in a game like this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu7jA8EHi_0), would it create the illusion of accelerating toward (away) without actually moving? Any references to similar ideas?

**Tags:** perception, color, auditory-discrimination


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-12-03. Score: 5

One similar idea is the [Blue Diamonds Optical Illusion](http://www.moillusions.com/2009/10/blue-diamonds-optical-illusion.html), is a series of identical things
that appear to be a series of darker and darker and darker things, indefinitely.
It shows that the [Cornsweet illusion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornsweet_illusion) can be repeated over and over again.
This reminds me of the way the Shepard tone plays the same thing over and over again,
but the pitch seems to get higher and higher.

I suspect a similar approach might be able to construct an illusion that appears to be "always getting bluer".


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### Answer by username_2 on 2012-12-03. Score: 2

[Peter Tse's Infinite Regress Illusion](http://illusionoftheyear.com/2006/infinite-regress-illusion/) creates the illusion of a stimuli that is continually moving away from a target.


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