Introduction
An early iteration of the Mirrorhaploscope. before additional horizontal tracks were added for increased maneuverability.
Most people think vision is simple. You open your eyes and see. The new mirrorhaploscope in Assistant Professor Kim Wong’s lab proves it is much more complicated. This past fall, Professor Wong reached out to the Williams Makerspace with a request that would merge research, design, and hands-on building: a mirrorhaploscope for studying how the brain chooses what we see. The device will be used in both PSYC 300 (Perception) and the WAVE Lab (Wong Attention, Vision, and Encoding Lab), supporting studies of visual awareness, attention, and binocular rivalry. The collaboration made it possible for students to help construct a fully functional research instrument that they will later use in their own experiments.
The Problem or Research Purpose
A mirrorhaploscope is a deceptively simple optical instrument with powerful implications. It allows researchers to present different images to each eye at the same time—allowing us to push our visual system to its limits, and test unconscious, automatic processing. With this setup, Professor Wong can run Continuous Flash Suppression (CFS) experiments, a method that consists of overwhelming one eye with a chaotic, rapidly flashing pattern (aka a “dynamic Mondrian mask”), while the other sees a stable image. This flashing is so overwhelming to the visual system that it completely dominates awareness, and the brain temporarily “suppresses” the stable image. Experimenters then measure the amount of time it takes for the stable image to finally “break through” the suppression from the flashing pattern.
In plain terms? The device lets researchers peek into how attention and perception works while the participant themselves has no idea that there is even another image present at all. This allows them to ask the critical question: “What does your visual system do automatically, before you’re even conscious of it?” They can thus experimentally manipulate:
- What kinds of images capture visual awareness first (i.e. which images “break through” the suppression faster)?
- What kinds of stimuli or scenes are unconsciously prioritized by the visual system?
- How does the brain resolve conflicting visual input?
- Why do we notice some things instantly while completely missing others?
- Do we find major differences across individuals’ visual processing?
And all of this comes from four mirrors angled just right.
The Build
The build started with a brainstorming meeting mid September. Professor Wong explained the necessary features: tilt-adjustable mirrors, a full height-adjustment track so the device could fit all necessary setups, and a touch of aesthetics. That became our blueprint.
A 3D sketch of the mirrorhaploscope before diving into tangible build
From there, the making process unfolded like a narrative. First came the wooden frame for mirror mounts, then choosing hardware that allowed fine-tuned rotation, and testing a series of height adjustments designs. Decisions about height adjustability required a universal T-track system, while the mirror tilt demanded ball-and-socket mounts with tightening knobs.
A cardboard prototype to help visualize the mirrorhaploscope
Along the way, the build team had plenty of human moments:
- Attaching the mirrors came with a number of attempts, including failure to account for how quickly the glue solidified, and coordination between team members became essential.
- During one clean up session, the force of the vacuum was not accounted for and a wooden piece made its way down the pipe. Disassembling the vacuum was required to retrieve the piece.
- The team was so focused on protecting the first set of mirrors from getting scratched that it was not until final assembly that we realized the mirrors were in fact distorted and new ones must be ordered.
By early November, after careful alignment and many hours in the woodshop, the mirrorhaploscope finally took shape.
Mirrorhaploscope finished product, photo taken in the Makerspace
The Final Product
The finished mirrorhaploscope is clean, sturdy, and deceptively elegant.
It features:
- Four angled mirrors arranged to separate left-eye and right-eye images
- Adjustable mirror mounts using ball-and-socket heads for precise tilting
- Two independent height and width adjustable track systems to accommodate different setups and users
It can sit on a standard 30-inch table, with the mirror heights adjustable to match Professor Wong’s required visual angles. It is mobile enough to be deployed in both the PSYC 300 classroom and the WAVE Lab, where it will support experiments for years to come.
When the team handed it to Professor Wong, the feeling was unanimous: proud, relieved, and a little in awe that a pile of wood, mirrors, and hardware had become a fully functional research tool.
Mirrorhaploscope finished product, photo taken in the WAVE Lab
WAVE Lab Research Assistant Maggie Nichols demonstrating how the mirrorhaploscope is used in experiment setting
Why This Project Matters
This project represents something bigger than a Makerspace build. We didn’t just learn about visual perception, we helped create the instrument that will produce new scientific knowledge. The Makerspace enabled academic experimentation, allowing psychology, engineering, and creativity to intersect in a single device.
And now, PSYC 300 students will do something rare in an undergraduate course: use a professional research device they helped design and build. The mirrorhaploscope is more than a tool; it’s proof that hands-on learning can quite literally change how we see. This project didn’t just teach us about perception. It taught us that learning accelerates when students build the tools that drive discovery.
