Hypnotron

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.Last updated 990507

The Hypnotron is a fascinating optical illusion. I saw it for the first time on a Rudy Coby show.

Look at the centre of the spirals for at least 20 (preferably 30-60) seconds. Don't move your sight! Now, look at a picture, photo, painting, your keyboard or at the texture on the back of your hand. You're going to experience that it is moving and sometime thin beams radiates from the centre. People's experience differs from each other and it also depends on how fast the Hypnotron moves. About two whole turns per second is enough. If your computer or web browser is to slow, you might not experience any of these effects. There are also people with some defect in their vision that can't see these effects at all. Hopefully you're not one of them. It's hard to explain the effect, it has to be experienced.

Here you have some different alternative to test.

First you have a Hypnotron that runs directly in your browser. Of some strange reason, the browsers are quite slow on showing those large moving pictures. You have to have a quite fast computer to get the right speed of the spirals. If it doesn't rotate you may have some problem white your browser. This page has been tested with both Netscape and Internet Explorer. If it's to slow, try some of the files beneath.

The second file is an avi-file. The avi-player are usually much faster than the browsers and functions quite well on slower computers. BUT you have to follow the instructions below to get it working.

I haven't been able to save these adjustments to any avi-file. If someone knows if it's possible, I would appreciate a mail.

The third file is a QuickTime Movie (mov)-file. This is the fastest video player and it works with both PC and Mac. Get it if you don't have it. The last version supports MMX and give you the right speed if you r computer aren't to slow. If the picture flickers you may try one of the slower files. The original file change pictures every 10 ms and the other 15 and 20 ms. The files are marked with the time delay. Also the QuickTime player has to be set-up to work properly. Under "Movie" you must mark "Loop". The address to QuickTime is http://quicktime.apple.com/

Finally a small PC-program made by Tomas Melberg. It has got several adjustable parameters to change the spirals look, direction and number.
This is the new version that's both faster and smoother and it's got a help file. This version is the best Hypnotron I have ever seen.

See to that there aren't any other programs running when you're looking at the Hypnotron programs that could slow them down.

The first Hypnotrons here looks a little bit thorny and flickering. If I get the time, I'll make them look better. Be welcome to come back and see if they have been upgraded. I would be appreciating a mail telling me hove you experienced this files and what computer your are using so I can give better guiding over what files that works with what machines.

Hypnotron directly in your  browser.

Hypnotron as an avi-file. Ahyp.zip 86 kB

Hypnotron as a mov-file. Ahypmov10.zip 91 kB Ahypmov15.zip  Ahypmov20.zip

Tomas Hypnotron as a PC-.exe file. Spiral.zip 35 kB. NEW VERSION !

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Here you'll find some more Hypnotrons and relating stuff that other guys made. Some of them are quite good.

This is not really a Hypnotron, but it has a similar effect. It will run directly in your browser if it handles java.

Here's a Hypnotron DOS program written by Robert Nielsen. hypno.zip 28 kB

Here is the same program again, but with smoother picture and some controls. Version 3.01. hypno3.zip 31 kB

Here's a windows hypnotron program. optical.exe 22 kB

Here is another spiral program written in DOS. It looks totally different from the earlier ones and gives a fun effect. mindwarp.zip 36 kB

Here's another program from the same guy. It looks almost the same. Just better, and it's a newer version. syn2x-v0.zip 58 kB

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