Stroboscopic Effect
The stroboscopic effect is a phenomena that causes a moving or running appliance to appear still. The gadgets may also appear to be moving in the other direction or appear to be travelling slower than their actual speed of motion due to the stroboscopic effect.
Components:
- Light source
- Moving disc
Working Principle:
Our brains can only process change or movement at a certain rate. Our brains naturally smooth out visual input if there are conflicting amounts of movement or change within our range of view.
Did you know that if you observe a 12-spoke automobile wheel spinning at 24 revolutions per second on a typical TV, the tyres will appear static to your eyes? To put it another way, the car would be moving yet the tyre spokes would appear to be still.
Stroboscopic effect is the name for this phenomena.
When moving things are observed in discrete series of brief or instantaneous samples rather than in a continuous view, the stroboscopic effect occurs.
They may also appear to be moving in the other direction or appear to be travelling slower than their actual speed of motion due to the stroboscopic effect.
The sampling frequency of vision must be equal to or multiples of the frequency of motion for such an effect to occur.
A stroboscopic effect is a type of optical illusion that causes the typical view of moving objects in the environment to be disrupted.
Fluorescent lighting
When the environment is illuminated with fluorescent lamps, the stroboscopic effect is most commonly observed; however, it can also occur when tube lights and other ac powered light sources are employed.
Fluorescent bulbs with a 50Hz AC power supply flicker 100 times per second. When the light from such lamps or light sources falls on the moving parts of the gadgets, they appear to be moving at a slower rate or in the opposite direction than they actually are. In rare situations, the device’s moving parts may appear to be stationary and not moving at all.
Instructions:
- Make sure you are in a dark environment
- Turn on the motor that spins the disc
- Turn on the light source
- Adjust the frequency of the strobing light until you see the disk is stopped
- Turn on the ambient light and verify that the disc is still moving
Links:
The Dangers of Stroboscopic Effects | Airius Lighting