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[Anomalocaris]

in an interesting experiment, blind human subjects are wired up to a video camera. The output of the camera then actuate a dot matrix of small actuators, which press on the skin of the subject.   So the camera image are translated into a low resolution field of different pressures on the subject’s skin.    if an object in the camera’s field of view moves, the pattern of pressure on the subject’s skin will also move.  

this produced some interesting results.    after a while, the subject no longer report feeling the output from the camera as pressure on their skin,  but instead they perceive the object seem by the camera as an object in 3D space.     even more interestingly, this perception of video image conveyed through pressure on the skin as an actual object in space only occurs if the subject can control the placement of the camera, for example by moving the camera to the left or right and closer and further from the object.   if the subject can not control the camera, then he subject never report perceiving the object seen by camera as an object on space rather than pressure on his skin.

this suggest the circuitry in human brain that converts visual input into a mental map of the spatial relationship of the environment around the person doesn’t actually require visual input to work. The brain is sufficiently flexible to convert tactile input into a faux visual input and activate this mechanism.