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  • motor for Mach bands disks
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motor for Mach bands disks

  • Images (3)

motor for Mach bands disks

Date: 1970-1980
Inventory Number: 2004-1-0119
Classification: Mach Bands Apparatus
Subject:
optics, color theory,
Maker: Bodine Electric Company (1905-present)
User: Edwin H. Land (1909 - 1991)
Supplier: Electro Sales Company, Inc. (circa 1950-present)
Cultural Region:
United States,
Place of Origin:
Cambridge, Chicago,
Dimensions:
23.5 × 56.2 × 31.8 cm (9 1/4 × 22 1/8 × 12 1/2 in.)
Material:
wood, metal, rubber,
Description:
This is a right angle gear motor mounted on a wooden wedge painted black.
This Bodine motor is a series 500 control motor, type NSH-54RL / No 587KC7I11. This motor was equipped with special gear shafts and switch box to adjust the rate of rotation of the disk fixed on it.

Was meant to be used with 2004-1-0115.

In Collection(s)
  • Polaroid and Land Collection [2]
  • Edwin Land's Retinex Experiments
Signedon plaque: BODINE / ELECTRIC / COMPANY

on sticker: ELECTRO SALES CO., INC.
FunctionUsed by Land for his experiments with color vision (Retinex theory).

Mach bands are an optical effect (often called illusion) named after Ernst Mach. Mach used a wheel with black and white sectors that, when spun, generated a linear gradient in gray tones, linking a uniformly lighter region (near the center of the disk) to a uniformly darker region (near the periphery). Mach bands are most often referred to horizontal or vertical bands that appear lighter or darker than justified by the underlying light. The effect is one of increased, local, perceived brightness on either side of a luminance gradient. This motor was used by Land to spin the disks that displayed the effect.
ProvenanceThis object belonged to Edwin H. Land and came from the Rowland Institute, Harvard University. Gift of the Edwin H. Land Family.

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