Video: Ames Window Optical Illusion

ames_window_optical_illusion_thumbBefore we start with our newest illusion, I’d like to ask you another simple question via poll I have included. This is the easiest way for me to get enough answers in such a short period, thus can make my further decisions faster!

Let me explain in little more detail: some of you may have noticed, how I started adding self-hosted video players to this site. You can see it in action in this post, but also available here. What do you think about it? I noticed it needs some time to load itself, but its visual design, and possibilities it provides is why I chose it. So begin playing with it, and then answer this poll below!

[poll id=”4″]

I’ll have to monitor my bandwidth these days, to see if our servers can take such amount of load, but I should have more information to share with you tomorrow.

Now that we covered the video part, let’s jump to the illusion itself! Check the Ames Room illusion first, if you haven’t already seen it! Today’s illusion is fairly difficult to see, but once you do – it’s amazing. Focus on the rotation of the rod. It appears to continually rotate in one direction while the window appears to reverse. This causes the illusion of rod passing through the window. Can you see it? Please report your findings!

33 Replies to “Video: Ames Window Optical Illusion”

  1. Even though I figured it out before the vid ended, it’s a really strong illusion, reminds me of the vid you showed us with the nuts and the “bending” rod.

  2. Awsome illusion Vurdlak. I think these kind are great and fun to try and duplicate. I voted to loose the video player. This one didn’t play all the way through (it stoped 3 times for about 10 seconds each time) until the 3rd try. Seems it can’t buffer data to memory and play at the same time. I don’t think it’s my computer, dual quad Pentiums at 2.8 GHz with 2 Gigs of memory and G-force 8800 video card, cause this player is the only one that has performed like that. Then again, these machines seem to have a mind of their own sometimes so it could be my problem. Bog, Jim

  3. Artfully done. It also reinforces my credo. I don’t believe anything I hear and only half of what I see. Things are not always what they appear to be.

  4. I actually had to see it twice to see the illusion. I only saw a piece of cardboard with a rod through it, spinning in the same direction.

  5. For me it was a little difficult to get, i had to make myself see it a certain way, but i don’t think it’s as good an illusion as the nuts and bending rod one. You should definately keep the videos though, they’re great!

  6. @JimBob – don’t you think that the buffering has more to do with your Internet connection? all players need to download video (at least parts of it) before they can show you anything… perhaps the connection was slow. they usually start playing even before the whole clip was downloaded, and sometimes play catches some parts, before players downloads that part…

  7. I SHAT BRICKS!!!

    Great illusion! It is obvious how it works but that doesn’t take away from the effect that you cant help but see for at least a second every time before fixing your brains flaw.

    By the way the video player works without flaw on Adobe flash player under Ubuntu Linux 9.10 Karmic Koala.

  8. Vurdlak – Thanks for pointing that out. You are vastly more knowledgeable on how the internet server system works than I will ever be. It appears that I have issues to take up with my high speed cable internet provider. You have a great website that I enjoy visiting every chance I get. Keep up the good work.

  9. This illusion doesn’t work for me. I find myself trying to SEE what the illusion is :P I saw the 1st picture and had guessed it was a flat piece of paper. I saw the video and only saw so called “2D” window pane rotating the same direction the rod was :P

  10. It sort of works, but there are a few flaws. One is that the cut out is supposed to be a vanishing point drawing. The sides should taper towards one end. The shading and shadows of the windows 3 dementionality should be a mirror image, front to back. That is, the same thing, on the back as it is on the front. As it is, it almost works, but the added forced perspective using a vanishing point as the basic archetecture for the window drawing, is going to make it a lot stronger and fool the mind at a stronger level.

  11. and in response to the poll, it’s almost an optical illusion in itself cause i didn’t even notice it until after i’d watched what i came here to watch and was about to leave. i like to view the illusions before reading your intro.

  12. You should use the html5 tag. Although, maybe you should offer the player as an alternative for those with non-top-of-the-line browsers ( is only supported by: Google Chrome, Apple Safari (version 4+) and Microsoft Internet Explorer with Google Chrome Frame installed)

  13. Wow, Vurdlak replied! I feel in the presence of a Youtube celebrity… uh, sorry, I got too excited, but I totally confirm what you said, even in Youtube or other sites, the same happens. C’mon.

    Anyhow, this illusion is truly amazing, even though it take me a while to actually see it..

  14. ohhhh …. okay i get it alrighty if enyone is shitting bricks just stare closely at the rod the the middle!!! it makes more sense :P

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *