The document discusses the phenomenon of the "uncanny valley" where humanoid robots that are close to, but not perfectly human-like, tend to elicit feelings of unease, revulsion or discomfort. It provides examples of robots at different points on the spectrum from industrial robots to highly humanoid robots. It also explores some potential explanations for the uncanny valley effect, including the idea that imperfect human replicas trigger cognitive dissonance by challenging concepts of human uniqueness and identity.

1. The Uncanny Valley:
“That frakkin’ toaster is freaking me out!”
By Ruth Ellison
Twitter: @RuthEllison
For BarCamp Canberra #2
On 28th March 2009

2. Chocolate appreciator
Work at Stamford Interactive
Usability person
Information architect
Loves gadgets
User experience person
Robot lover
I’m Ruth

3. What this presentation is
about...
Take a very brief look at different
types of robots
Look at the Uncanny Valley
phenomenon

4. Disclaimer
I’m not a roboticist
But I’m fascinated by human-robot /
human-computer interactions

5. What is a robot?
“A robot is a virtual or mechanical
artificial agent. In practice, it is
usually an electro-mechanical
system which, by its appearance or
movements, conveys a sense that it
has intent or agency of its own.”
- Wikipedia

6. This is a robot
ABB Assembly Line Robot By avramc from http://www.flickr.com/photos/28695713@N00/445073590/
Available under a Creative Commons Attribution‐Noncommercial‐Share Alike 2.0 Generic license

7. This is a robot
Source: http://www.zcars.com.au/images/knight‐rider‐kitt1.jpg

8. These are not robots
Robot Attack! By Dan Coulter from http://www.flickr.com/photos/dancoulter/21042744/
Available under a Creative Commons Attribution‐Noncommercial‐Share Alike 2.0 Generic license

9. Let’s play a game
creepy or not

10. Roomba
Linus stalking the Roomba By Eirik Newth from http://www.flickr.com/photos/eiriknewth/282273087/in/set‐72157594351565925/
Available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

11. R2D2
Source: http://www.gadgetshop.com/media/gadgetshop/products/ProductGalleryImage4/306688.jpg

12. ASIMO
ASIMO By tanjun from http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanjun/82441127/
Available under a Creative Commons Attribution‐Noncommercial‐Share
Copyrighted to Honda, source http://world.honda.com/news/2007/c071211Enabling‐Multiple‐ASIMO‐
Alike 2.0 Generic license
to‐Work/photo/pages/01.html

13. Domo
Domo from http://people.csail.mit.edu/edsinger/image/domo/press_img/domo_screwdriver_a.jpg

14. Terminator
Source: http://www.scificool.com/avatars‐sam‐worthington‐nabs‐terminator‐role/

15. Cylon centurion
Source:
http://www.galacticabbs.com/index.php?act=Print&client=print
er&f=28&t=1605

16. WALL•E and EVE
Source: http://gallery.filmofilia.com/gallery/wall‐e_movie_stills/image/44/

17. Cameron (terminator)
Source: http://thegamersutopia.blogspot.com/2008/01/tv‐show‐review‐terminator‐sarah‐
Source: http://www.terminatorsite.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=15&pos=4
conner.html

18. Keepon
KeeponBy JanneM from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jannem/214869878/
Available under a Creative Commons Attribution‐Noncommercial‐Share Alike 2.0 Generic license

19. Einstein HUBO
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Einstein‐Hubo.jpg
Video source: http://www.hansonrobotics.com/

20. Repliee R1
Source: By Hiroshi Ishiguro, from http://www.primidi.com/2006/12/27.html

21. Repliee Q2
Source: http://plcscadasystems.blogspot.com/2009/01/japan‐membuat‐sex‐robots.html

22. So what is this creepiness factor?

23. The Uncanny Valley
As robots appear more human like,
they appear more familiar.
Almost human can seem almost
strange and eerie – causes a
response of revulsion.

24. Based on Masahiro Mori and Karl F. MacDorman graph
Uncanny Valley graph
Healthy human
Uncanny valley Cylon
+ ‘skin‐jobs’
Humanoid
Repliee Q2 &
robot
familiarity
similar robots
Cylon raider
Industrial Michael Jackson
robot
Human likeness
‐ Zombie

25. Why does it exist?
Quite a few theories
Looking at a subset of theories today:
Shared circuits for empathy
Cognitive dissonance of liminal objects
Sources:
1. A Walk in the Valley of the Uncanny ‐ http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=853
2. MacDorman, K. F., Green, R. D., Ho, C.‐C., & Koch, C. (in press). Too Real for Comfort? Uncanny responses to computer generated faces. Computers in Human Behavior.

26. Shared circuits for empathy
Sources:
1. A Walk in the Valley of the Uncanny ‐ http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=853
2. MacDorman, K. F., Green, R. D., Ho, C.‐C., & Koch, C. (in press). Too Real for Comfort? Uncanny responses to computer generated faces. Computers in Human Behavior.

27. Shared circuits for empathy
Sources:
1. A Walk in the Valley of the Uncanny ‐ http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=853
2. MacDorman, K. F., Green, R. D., Ho, C.‐C., & Koch, C. (in press). Too Real for Comfort? Uncanny responses to computer generated faces. Computers in Human Behavior.

28. Cognitive dissonance of liminal
objects
Artificial human forms signify a
challenge to our uniqueness and
identity
Sources:
1. A Walk in the Valley of the Uncanny ‐ http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=853
2. MacDorman, K. F., Green, R. D., Ho, C.‐C., & Koch, C. (in press). Too Real for Comfort? Uncanny responses to computer generated faces. Computers in Human Behavior.

29. Cognitive dissonance of liminal
objects
Sources:
1. A Walk in the Valley of the Uncanny ‐ http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=853
2. MacDorman, K. F., Green, R. D., Ho, C.‐C., & Koch, C. (in press). Too Real for Comfort? Uncanny responses to computer generated faces. Computers in Human Behavior.

30. Further examples of the Uncanny
Valley
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within The Polar Express
Source: http://www.andrewzeller.com/wp‐content/uploads/2008/01/realisticphotos.jpg Source: http://media.jsonline.com/images/28007159_164815__polar2_l.jpg

31. CGI animation
2 approaches addressing the uncanny valley
Source: http://www.cartoonary.com/the‐incredibles/images/the‐incredibles‐wallpaper‐ Source: http://foreverloyal.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/gollum.jpg,
photo‐2560x1600.jpg :http://z.about.com/d/toys/1/7/e/6/DavyJones.jpg

32. Crossing the uncanny valley?

33. Meet Emily
Image Metrics Tech Demo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLiX5d3rC6o&feature=related

34. Keen to learn more?
The Uncanny Valley by Masahiro Mori -
http://www.androidscience.com/theuncannyvalley/proceedings2005/uncannyvall
ey.html
The Uncanny Valley by Dave Bryant –
http://www.arclight.net/~pdb/nonfiction/uncanny-valley.html
Charting the Uncanny Valley by Karl F. MacDorman -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geF1XO5IPc8&feature=channel
Life and love in the uncanny valley by Jamais Cascio -
http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/cascio20061213/
Karl F. MacDorman homepage (lots of interesting HCI & uncanny valley research
publications) - http://www.macdorman.com/
The Uncanny Valley of user interface design by Bill Higgins -
http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/05/17/the-uncanny-valley-of-user-interface-
design/
Bot Junkie - http://www.botjunkie.com/

35. Like lolcats? Try lolbots
Source: http://lolbots.com/?p=809
Source: http://lolbots.com/?p=778
Source: http://lolbots.com/?p=800

36. Other types of robots you may want
to check out
Real robots: Film/TV robots:
Kismet Cyberman from Doctor Who
i-sobot Terminator from Terminator and
Sarah Connor Chronicles
Hexapodmeisterschaft
KITT from Knightrider
HRP-4C
Bender from Futurama
REEB-B
Data from Star Trek
Tobopo
ABB (industrial robot)

37. Thanks!
Ruth Ellison
Email: me@ruthellison.com
Web: www.ruthellison.com
@RuthEllison
Find this presentation at www.slideshare.net/ruthellison