Glasgow Explorathon 2016

Glasgow Science Centre, 30 September 2016

Our team were among the 420 researchers who engaged almost 5,000 visitors to the Glasgow Science Centre as part of Explorathon Extravaganza to celebrate European Researchers’ Night 2016. Our research stand demonstrated a variety of interactive perceptual illusions and activities based around the themes of multisensory perception, illusions and the senses.

CSPE Co-ordinator: Dr Keith Wilson and Professor Fiona Macpherson
CSPE Researchers: Professor David Bain, Dr Umut Baysan, Dr Jennifer Corns, Dr Robert Cowan, Joaquim Giannotti
Pictures by Keith Wilson

Interactive exhibits

Items on display included:

  • ‘Reverspective’ 3D images with apparently move in unusual ways relative to observers
  • ‘Mirascope’ 3D optical illusion of an object
  • 'Hyperscope' that increases 3D depth perception
  • McGurk effect audiovisual illusion
  • Rissett Rhythm and Shephard Tone auditory illusions
  • Binaural Beats auditory illusion
  • Hollow mask illusion
  • Animated transparencies causing motion illusions
  • Spinning motion aftereffect disc and questionnaire
  • Jelly beans that you ‘taste’ with your nose

About Glasgow Explorathon

In Glasgow, the Explorathon events attracted 4,969 visitors and involved 50 schools across 12 separate venues. Explorathon is the largest nationwide public engagement event in Scotland. The project was also shortlisted in the Times Higher Education Awards 2015 for Outstanding Early Career Researcher Support. We believe that with press, TV and social media, awareness of this year’s events reached over 1 million people across Scotland.

For more information, see the Explorathon website.