Visual Games

Definition 

  • Visual Games is a
    • structured, image-based learning process
    • developed through The Common Vein.
    • It is designed to
      • inspire curiosity and
      • help learners
        • see more clearly,
        • think more deeply, and
        • connect more meaningfully —
    • whether analyzing a
      • medical image,
      • a work of art, or
      • any visual expression.

Igniting Curiosisty is the Key starting Point

“Curiosity is the fuel. Everything else is the journey.”


— Ashley Davidoff 

It all begins with curiosity —
the spark that draws us into the image.

Curiosity

    • Igniting Curiosity Which are the Units?  Define each character Define the Context Build the Story
    Ashley DAvidoff MD TheCommonVein.com  Image Modified from AI Mid Journey 140160b

 

At its core, Visual Games reflects the
TCV philosophy:

The Common Vein (TCV)

1 + 1 = 1 — many units combine through meaningful connections to create a unified whole.

Visual Games is built on the fact that

images are made of parts —

identifiable units — and that

understanding comes from

analysing and

connecting and integrating the parts 

in relation  to a given environment or context

In a medical image,
the context is
diagnosis
a need  to decide whether a
structure is
normal or abnormal
and if abnormal
to attempt to diagnose the problem

In art,
the context is the
story and
the need is to
attempt to interpret the story

Both are  rooted in:

Curiosity as the spark

Intentional engagement as the commitment

Observation

Identifying the units

Analysing the units

Connecting units and the assocations of the evolving comprehension and  interpretation

  • 🌟 In Summary

  • Visual Games is not just about seeing. It’s about understanding through seeing.
    It’s a bridge between disciplines, a method of inquiry, and a celebration of the power of images to teach, inspire, and connect.

  • 👁️ The Power of Vision: Why Visual Games Matter
  • As human beings, we are equipped with five senses — all essential in their own way. But of these, vision is the most dominant in how we experience and interpret the world around us. It is our primary connection to the external environment, shaping how we move, interact, and understand.
  • We do not constantly engage in smell, taste, or touch — those senses are utilized in specific contexts.
    Even hearing, while deeply meaningful and powerful in communication and emotion, plays a more selective role in information gathering.
  • But vision never turns off.
  • From the moment we open our eyes,

  • Eyes Are Everywhere Watching What you Do …. so you better be good!
    Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.com dog walk art-0270
  • …we are flooded with visual input. Whether walking through a city, interpreting a chest X-ray, admiring a sculpture, or reading someone’s expression —
  • We are always looking.
  • Yet even though we are always looking , we are not always seeing and noticing.
    To look is not always to see.

  • Eye Brain Interface
    Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.com 172490p
  • 🎯 Visual Games was created with that mission in mind.
  • It is not about winning — it’s about learning to look, to observe like an artist, a radiologist, a detective, or a child seeing something for the first time. Through structured challenges, stories, and visual puzzles, Visual Games helps us rediscover and refine one of our most powerful tools: our eyes.
  • In medicine, as in life, better vision leads to better decisions.
    And better seeing results in better patient outcomes.
  • We approached the case, you remember
    with an absolutely blank mind,
    which is always an advantage.
    We had formed no theories.
    We were simply there to observe and
    to draw inferences from our observations.”
  • (The Adventure of the Cardboard Box)
  • A Complex Radiology Case
  • Classical Art
    A Lot More Here than We See
    What Story was Ruben’s Trying to Tell?
  • Abstract Art
    What Story Does Michel-Basquiat want to Tell
  • Classical Sculpture
    What was on Michelangelo’s Mind?

  • David by Michelangelo Florence Galleria dell’Accademia
  • Abstract Sculpture
    What was David Smith Trying to Say?
  • undefined
  • Photography
    From the Series “dOG wALK aRT”
  • What Story does This Photograph Tell
  • Science in a Dogs Tail
    The Golden Rule
  • Abstractions in the Ice
    Grandmother Mother and Child Under the Moon
  • Tell the Story of this Photograph
  • AI Art
    What is It Trying to Say?
  • The TCV and Sherlock Holmes Method for Image Analysis
  • A structured, story-driven approach to exploring images in medicine and beyond
    Section: Radiologists and Detectives (RnD)
  • 🕵️‍♂️ Introductory Quote – The Holmesian Spirit

  • “We approached the case, you remember, with an absolutely blank mind, which is always an advantage. We had formed no theories. We were simply there to observe and to draw inferences from our observations.”
    — The Adventure of the Cardboard Box

  • This method embraces the Holmesian ideal: to begin with pure observation — no preconceived ideas — and  let the image speak.
  • 🔍 Phase-by-Phase Framework
  • 🔎 Phase 1: Ask Broad Questions (Begin with Curiosity)

  • Begin with an open, observational mind — free of assumptions.

  • Pose big-picture questions such as:

    • What do we see?

    • What might be happening here?

    • What does this image feel like?

  • This phase activates curiosity and deep engagement without jumping to conclusions.

  • 🖼️ Phase 2: Provide Background (Context and History)

  • For Art or Sculptures:

    • Life of the artist/sculptor

    • Historical period and visual trends

    • Cultural meanings or prevailing ideologies

  • For Medical Images:

    • Patient background and clinical context

    • Indication for imaging

    • Modality and setting (e.g., CXR, CT, MRI)

  • This phase places the image in its narrative and technical context.

  • 🔬 Phase 3: Go Deeper – Ask & Answer

  • Return to the questions posed in Phase 1.

  • Begin forming answers — but split the response into two distinct lenses:

    • Facts: Observable, measurable, or widely accepted features

    • Opinion: Interpretations, hypotheses, artistic or clinical insights

  • This phase blends deductive reasoning with creative exploration.

  • It is where observation becomes understanding.

  • 🎯 Phase 4: Focal Points, Structured Analysis & Sequential Thinking
  • Once we begin to observe more deeply, certain elements in the image start to stand out. These are the focal points — clues that call for closer inspection. Each one becomes a unit of attention.
  • We analyze these using the SSPCTC framework:

  • Size

  • Shape

  • Position

  • Character

  • Time

  • Connections

  • But this is where we add a crucial dimension:
  • 🔁 Sequential Thinking – The Architecture of a Visual Story
  • Observation is not a single moment — it’s a sequence.
    One detail leads to a memory, a reference, a learned fact, or a gut feeling — and that, in turn, leads to the next idea. This is how a story builds, one step at a time.

  • “You did not know where to look, and so you missed all that was important.”
    — Sherlock Holmes

  • This is not about what is invisible, but about what goes unnoticed — because we haven’t yet asked the right question or made the right connection. When we train ourselves to see in sequence, to follow the thread, each observation becomes a stepping stone in a larger narrative.
  • This phase is about more than labeling or identifying. It is about following the chain of meaning, using each clue to advance the plot — whether that’s a clinical diagnosis, an artistic interpretation, or a metaphorical insight.
  • So we ask:

  • What do I see here?

  • What does it remind me of?

  • What question does it raise?

  • What might come next?

  • This is how Holmes solved cases.
    And this is how we build stories — in medicine, in art, and in life.
  • 🧠 Phase 5: Scientific, Medical, and Biological Relevance

  • Relate the image to core disciplines:

    • Anatomy

    • Pathophysiology

    • Function and dysfunction

    • Clinical implications or diagnoses

  • This phase anchors the visual story in scientific and educational value.

  • ❓ Phase 6: MCQ Creation and Explanation

  • Create 1–3 multiple choice questions based on the image/story.

  • For each question:

    • Give the correct answer with a reason

    • Explain why the other options are incorrect

  • Encourages active recall, decision-making, and error correction.

  • 🖼️ Phase 7: The Memory Image (1 + 1 = 1)

  • Conclude with a symbolic or memorable image that captures the learning point.

  • Integrate:

    • Anatomical insight

    • Visual metaphor or narrative

    • Emotional or symbolic resonance

  • This image acts as a recall trigger and supports long-term retention.

  • Reinforces the TCV idea of “Units to Unity” — even complex truths can be captured in one image.

Information