Under these conditions, the uniform colours worn by German riflemen and British soldiers — Feldgrau and khaki, respectively — were clearly the most satisfactory. The dull, neutralised colours blended with the colours that predominated in a wide range of wartime environments; and so they functioned as simple forms of mimetic camouflage. However, the concealing effect of these solid colours was due more to luck than to design, and no consideration was given to the fact that visual perception in humans involves a complex sensory system.

The process of vision begins when light is detected by the eye. It is refracted, when it passes through the cornea, and enters the eye by way of the pupil. It is then refracted further by the lens, which inverts the image and projects it onto the retina.

The image of an object cast onto the retina changes as a function of viewpoint, lighting, size or location. Nevertheless, humans are able to interpret these images correctly and recognise a wide variety of familiar and novel objects. Moreover, recognition is achieved with little conscious effort, despite the fact that individual objects may differ somewhat in form, colour or texture. Objects can even be recognised when they are partially obstructed from view.

As yet there is no single theory that satisfactorily explains object recognition in humans. However, the key to object recog­nition seems to be shape — for which reason an effective camouflage pattern should be designed, first and foremost, to disrupt the familiar human shape. This is achieved through the use of a macropattern.

Each Roggenwolf™ next generation digital camouflage™ pattern in­corp­orates a macropattern that is composed of large, contrasting elements. The observer's eye is unconsciously drawn to the lighter areas and, since the brain interprets the difference between light and dark as a natural boundary, it is discouraged from ‘putting together’ the contrasting areas and perceiving a single object.