The effect is one of increased, local, perceived brightness on either side of a luminance gradient. It is usually supposed that this effect is caused by lateral inhibition of the receptors in the eye. An alternative explanation is that the effect is explained by the fundamentally statistical strategy of visual perception, representing the common occurrence of highlights and lowlights in association with luminance gradients.

References

See also

• Cornsweet illusion

External links

• Demonstration of the Mach band
• Dale Purves Lab^*

Optical illusions

Machsche Streifen | Bandes de Mach