Patent Application
20140305209
1. Field of Invention
Our invention consists of an apparatus, which can reproduce under measurable conditions, as defined per our design, an experiment called the wagon wheel effect—at specific rotation speeds, a wagon wheel appears to rotate in a direction opposite to the real one—, and a method, consisting of collecting the measurements collected under various conditions to establish a norm, and allow for different populations, for instance aging populations or individuals suffering from nervous degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer, possibly in their early stage of development, to be compared against this norm. As the one or the two disks of our apparatus, presenting spokelike patterns, rotate at an increasing speed, a disk rotation inversion will appear to an observer, according to an engineering signal theory called Shannon-Nyquist theory (or frequency). It is this maximum speed, which our apparatus is aimed to measure.
2. Related Background Arts
One important aspect of this invention is to realize that, in a pure Shannon-Nyquist context, and if such theory was applicable to the brain, an observer would see multiple inversions of a rotating disk, presenting spoke patterns, at increasing speed. However, we believe that the brain makes corrections to the signal, to only “present” one inversion in speed, while such disk continues to rotate at increasing speed. It is one of the reasons why the measurement of this speed is the focus of our interest here. Such inversion is often called the wagon wheel effect in the scientific literature. To simplify the reading of our application, we also refer here to the wagon wheel effect. It is important to note that this effect, as we mean it, is no different than what we meant in relation to the Shannon-Nyquist theory and maximum frequency, an engineering signal theory, which defines the required minimum sampling frequency, to correctly convert a periodical signal from analog to digital. The wagon wheel inversion effect can often be observed either in real life or on television, for instance during bicycle races. In the context of our invention, when this phenomena is observed on television, it is important to notice that, we believe, the conditions are biased by the sampling frequency of the camera, and the rendering of the signal on a television (see the various sampling frequencies coming into play). Other scientific publications refer to this experiment, as the result of either a discrete, or a continuous sampling process (in fact, it is probably neither . . . nor but instead of combination of them), or present computer simulation models, which under our assumptions, introduce important biases, specific to fundamental aspects of the effect. Some of these biases are (but not limited to) the dissymmetry introduced by some monitor screen resolution, brightness limitations, or unexpected variations in the rendering of a uniform motion (either under constant speed or constant acceleration), inherent in the way computers work. Such biases constitute in our opinion as many obstacles to measuring, or reproducing the phenomena, with a necessary accuracy, as we would need. Our invention is designed to produce the effect, in its most fundamental form, and allow it to be reproducible to match conditions, akin to those required for a scientific approach. Our review of previous arts shows, that in all of them, the fundamental prerequisites, which we need, are missing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,750 claims to reproduce the effect, without being able to provide any measurements, such as the measurement of an accurate inversion rotation speed, and introduces an additional moving grid, which we see as a potential source of bias. U.S. Pat. No. 1,942,006 refers to the phenomena, under similar limiting assumption, as an entertainment device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,587 teaches some elements of our invention, but without focusing on aspects, that we consider fundamental, such as rotation speed measurement, and control over uniform lightning conditions; all prerequisites to analyze the effect accurately, and do not rely, on fundamental aspects of psychophysics, such as lightning intensity, and effect of colors, treated differently by different types of eye cells. The size of the rotating disks used here can be modified, to allow further sensitivity in the speed measurement of the so-called wagon wheel effect, as the speed of the image in motion (in our case a disk presenting various spokelike patterns) is also function of its distance to the center. Furthermore, former arts do not mention additional aspects of our experiment such as, for instance, on one hand, the dependence between the level of symmetry of a disk presenting spokelike patterns under specific lighting, and the inversion speed, or, on the other hand, the fact that the introduction of tinny marks of asymmetry in the disk patterns, may modify the measurement of the appearing inversion speed. Other aspects of the effect will also be studied, such as for instance, the fact that only one inversion, and not multiple inversions, is taking place, to the contrary of what could be expected for any usual discrete sampled signal. This aspect is fundamental, and also, a main reason for introducing our application.
To further support the need for our method, an additional evidence sufficient to support an effective theory, is the fact that for various groups of a population, the speed at which the inversion takes place should differ enough for a statistical variation to be measured (assuming appropriate sensitivity). For instance, the wagon wheel effect can occur using one or two eyes, probably with different results. These characteristics are likely sensitive to alcohol consumption—brain processes seem to be impacted in the context of interpreting even slow moving images under strong alcohol influence—and also to aging. Furthermore, common characteristics among younger drivers or among young persons in general, which differentiate them from older drivers or old persons, could also be seen as another potential assumption for an effective theory as described above. Under alcohol influence, the multiplexing of large pieces of information impressed, and superposed in the brain seems to slow down, which in some cases seems also to provide comfort and relaxation. (Higher definition TVs providing more stable images may impact our perception, and increase our comfort level in a similar way). On a similar train of thoughts, in other areas of sciences, assumptions about evolutionary theories, in specific when related to the way homo sapiens were hunting, may also suggest that a higher capacity to analyze images in motions have played an important role during the human evolution, and might have also been among the first signs, precursors of the development of a more elaborated intelligence in human being. In addition, one could believe that, the brain is sending reward “signals” while analyzing images in motions—as our society is so much based on various aspects of motions, and on our capability to analyze motions, in practicing or watching usual sports for instance. (We purposely leave side consideration about the animal world away from our focus at this moment, which we assume is also applicable to the outcome of our inventions).
To further highlight some of our assumptions, there is an obvious learning aspect to this function, as in many other brain functions, for instance among racing pilots.
It is also reasonable to assume that brain processes involved with the wagon wheel effect requires the “multiplexing” of huge amount of information originating from on one eye, or from two eyes, to produce this one single inversion. Therefore, it must involve highly sensitive and extremely complex brain processes, subject to many unknown external influences, some of which, we are presenting here.
Our invention will help to explore, and provide the basic foundations for a normative theory, which today, and according to the author's research, does not exist.
New technology, such as fMRI (or functional magnetic resonance imaging using tracers to identify active area of the brain during specific tasks) makes possible to establish the dependencies between psychological processes, and their physical locations in the brain. Our experiment could also be reproduced in an MRI, allowing for instance to analyze the overlap of regions in activity, when the brain is processing images in motion—of which a limit is the wagon wheel effect speed—, and when the brain is processing static images, and if so, according to what principles one supersedes the other, and how other centers of the brain relate to one, and the other (emotions, memory, etc . . . ).
The provisional patent application (same owner) U.S. 61/465,772 is a related patent. It was introduced as a provisional patent, which foundations use the same principles as here.
The housing of our apparatus is capable to adjust to different sizes of disks in using moveable superior 15A and inferior 15B walls. Each shaft 8 is terminated by a knob 6 to attach the various disks to the front side of the circular support 4 itself attached to the motor. On the opposite side of the rotating circular support, multiple small reflective elements 5 can be added along the circumference of each disks at regular angles to reflect light (infrared preferred) emitted by the tachometer source 8. Each source (respectively for each disk) is capable to count the number of refection of the light per unit of time as the disk is in rotation, and as such to provide an accurate measurement of the disk rotation angle per unit of time at any time. The accuracy of the speed measured can be increased by increasing the number of these reflective elements 5 capable to reflect the infrared light. In our simplified embodiment, the mechanism provided to measure the speed, the tachometer, comprising of a source 8 and the reflecting elements 5, has its own power generator (It is using internal battery). A screen connected to the tachometer 8A is included to show an accurate measurement of the rotation speed when the rotation inversion—the so-called wagon wheel effect—takes place for an observer. To measure variable conditions in which the effect takes place, a system comprised of a control over light intensity is also included, consisting of sources of light 2 and 2A and potentiometers 13 controlling their light intensity. The light intensity can be measured with a light meter 3, providing a measurement of the lightning conditions in which the experiment takes place, which needs to be uniform over the two entire disks surface.
The source of DC current 18 alimenting the two armatures 28 and 28B of the two DC electrical motors can be inverted with a switch connecting the contacts 19 A D and 19 BC to become 19 AC and 19 BD. Another similar switch placed between the two motors connecting the contacts 33 AD and 33 BC can become 33 AB and 33 CD allows to change the rotation direction of the two motors and the motors' shafts, respectively showed in 23 and 27. The two motors 21 and 25 are confined in a single housing as presented in 34 (
The rotating disks designed to produce the wagon wheel effect present spokelike patterns 43 and 44 with various levels of symmetry, which is important in the context of the use of our apparatus, (a higher levels of symmetry will produce the wagon wheel effect at a lower rotation speed for a same observer). The spokes designed on the disks will present different thickness 37 and 38 sometimes even in specific areas of the spoke. The spokes 28 designed on a disk, as well as these thicker areas can also be drawn in different colors (because different types of eye cells react differently to different colors) and in a material capable to reflect the light differently (matt or glossy finish). A variable form 42 which goal is for an observer to focus on a specific band region (area of interest) of the rotating disk is also part of our apparatus. This variable form is attached to superpose the disk and remain static during the experiment while the disk is rotating. As the area of interest become smaller with the adjustment of the triangular surface 42, the appearing speed rotation inversion becomes conis restricted to the area of interest and adds accuracy to the measurement. As such the reduced area of interest can further limit the view of an observer in focusing on a specific band on each disk, in modifying the band's distant to the center of the disk, itself directly proportional to the speed, as showed by the arrow 42B. Finally, this form has one edge centered around the shaft and two vertices of equal size which can be moved apart or brought back together to increase or decrease the rectangular area.
A simplified version of our apparatus in 3D is in
In accordance with our present invention, a machine for accurately measuring the rotation speed of either one disk or two disks, rotating at independent speed and in independent direction, measuring the conditions per our design at which the so-called wagon wheel effect takes place. Our apparatus is designed to eliminate most of the obvious biases around the so-called wagon wheel effect and its producing. Our machine includes two disks respectively connected to two electrical motors, which rotation speed and rotation direction can be controlled independently. The housing allows for various disks in size and with different patterns to be used for producing and measuring the conditions at which the effect, the so-called wagon wheel effect, takes place for an observer maintained at a specific distance from the disks. The design of our machine is made with respect to all aspects per our design required to establish a scientific analysis of the effect across multiple populations consisting of normal individuals or individuals suffering from specific conditions (short or long term) or diseases, for instance nervous degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer, advanced or in their early stages. Our long-term goal is to provide an apparatus which can be used to establish a normative theory about the wagon wheel effect, which today does not exist, and to measure specific populations (aging population, individuals suffering from mental illness such as Alzheimer, possibly in their early stage of development) against this norm.
