A key goal shared across consciousness research and vision science is working towards an understanding of how the brain constructs visual experiences out of sensory input. It may feel as though our eyes are like windows that we look out of to see the world, but they are actually more like sensors which send a stream of information to the brain. The brain interprets this information to create the visual experiences we use to navigate the world. Everyone’s eyes and brain are unique, meaning everyone’s view of the world is different. Understanding the diversity of these processes could be key to uncovering how consciousness works.

 To investigate this, a citizen-science research project is opening to the public this October: “The Vision Experiment”.

In the experiment, you will be asked to make drawings of your visual experiences. Afterwards, all participants will be paid for their time and have the opportunity to learn more about the science and philosophy behind the project.

Participation is open to the public, but spaces are limited. In order to see if you are eligible and book a space, visit www.VisionExperiment.com

Researchers will use the results to investigate what drawings can tell us about a person’s visual perception. We hope that the Vision Experiment events will produce thousands of images which together can reveal patterns in the way that we draw and see. 

All data collected will be fully anonymized and GDPR compliant. This project is supported in part by the Margaret Boden Scholarship and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Program on Brain, Mind, and Consciousness.

Further information: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/sussex-centre-for-consciousness-science/