Introduction

Freewill Illusion #1 takes place on an apparatus designed to elicit conflicting, novel, non-trivial neural firing patterns in the inferior colliculus. The object itself contains an array of LEDs, speakers and transducers that have been mounted in clear acrylic faces that attach to bearing mounted steel rods and a central crankshaft. The motion, sound and lights of this exploding cube are controlled through an integrated computer. The audio-visual content is based on the "sound induced flash illusion" discovered by Ladan Shams. This is a visual illusion triggered by sound that persists even when subjects are made aware of their perceptual error. The deliberate use of lower level sensory confabulation is intended as a bridge to address such higher level illusions as freedom of choice, the absolute primacy of vision and the ascousmatic.

The Platform

Below is a breif demonstration of the system in motion.