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Two Rediscoveries of the Autostereogram in the 1960s
Tadamasa Sawada1, Galina I Rozhkova2
1School of Psychology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia.
I-Perception
|March 14, 2020
Summary
Autostereograms (ASG) have a complex discovery history, with principles described by Lev Mogilev in the 1960s. Pete Stephens also independently rediscovered this visual technology later in the same decade.
Area of Science:
- Visual Perception and Optics
- Image Processing and Display Technologies
Background:
- Autostereograms (ASG) have a documented history of discovery and rediscovery.
- The visual technology was first conceptualized in the 1840s and re-emerged in the 1960s.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the historical timeline of autostereogram (ASG) discovery.
- To attribute the foundational principles and applications of ASG to Lev Mogilev.
- To acknowledge Pete Stephens' independent rediscovery of ASG.
Main Methods:
- Historical literature review of autostereogram (ASG) development.
- Analysis of documented accounts of ASG creation and description.
- Chronological ordering of key events and contributions.
Main Results:
- Lev Mogilev described the principles and applications of autostereograms (ASG) in the early 1960s.
- Pete Stephens serendipitously rediscovered autostereograms (ASG) by manually creating repetitive patterns in the late 1960s.
- The initial discovery of ASG dates back to the 1840s.
Conclusions:
- Lev Mogilev's work in the 1960s represents an earlier and foundational description of autostereogram (ASG) principles.
- While Pete Stephens' rediscovery was significant, Mogilev's contribution predates it.
- Understanding the accurate history of autostereogram (ASG) development is crucial for appreciating its technological evolution.

