Uncanny Valley

As Uncanny Valley (English " uncanny valley " ) is generally described as an empirically measurable, paradoxical effect in the acceptance of artificial figures presented to the audience.

Originally described by Masahiro Mori, a Japanese roboticist, as a " phenomenon of the uncanny valley " (Japanese不気味の谷現象bukimi no tani Gensho ) 1970 in Energy, he now referred to the phenomenon that the acceptance of technically simulated, non-verbal behavior by spectators from the reality content of the presented carrier (robots, avatars, etc.) depends on, but is not always linear in the anthropomorphism ( human likeness ) of the figure increases, but experienced a sharp decline within a certain range. The diagram illustrates this.

While one would assume at first glance that viewers or computer players offered to them Avatars accept the more, the more realistic the figure is designed (A, red line), reality shows (B, blue line) that this is not true. People find highly abstract, completely artificial figures more appealing and acceptable as figures, which are increasingly more realistic.

The acceptance drops off a certain level of anthropomorphism way down and rises only from a certain very high level again. The acceptance is highest at that moment no longer differ Avatars by filming real people.

Explanations of the Uncanny Valley

This effect is often used as an argument if you want to explain why a concrete looked entertainment production (animation film ) flopped and did not achieve the expected success. However, there are specifically intended only sparse empirical data and no conclusive theories that could explain scientifically the effect sufficiently.

A media psychological explanation: Machine or abstract Smilies are classified by the observer as intrinsically law, existing human characteristics therefore written for their benefit. Human-like robots, however, are classified as people, taken deficiencies in non-verbal behavior to them therefore bad.

Expression Psychological explanation: people with a different pattern or foreign expressive behavior produce in the observer a clear aversion because they are socially flashy or mentally ill often in everyday life. A robot which claims to be human is, intuitively measured by the observer with the same standards as a human being, with its unnatural expression components stand out negatively. A robot, not even purport to be human is not valued as a human being.

Neuroscientific Explanation: neuroscientific studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging suggest that possibly could cause the phenomenon of a deviation of the observed object of the prediction internally. While a robot is clearly classified as a machine and a person clearly as such, falls a humanoid robot between the categories.

A practical example

On the computer fair CeBIT independent electrical appliances ( vacuum cleaner robot ) are sometimes presented, which have a kind of simulated hunger. If the power supply is running low, they are looking for an outlet to recharge - and all the more urgent, the less reserves, they do not have in stock. The audience laugh especially if it is demonstrated how these devices can be " excited " when they are hindered continued on the path to the socket. The acts cute, because the audience can recognize themselves in it, ie discover human behavior in a " being" which is not at all else human. On the other hand, robots that are designed emphasizes human-like, often observed very suspiciously at CeBIT. It seems as if a man would approach, which is very strange in his expressive behavior. Adults show up against robots often reticent children sometimes start to cry when robots get in touch with them.

Overcoming the Uncanny Valley is an expressive psychological problem, flow into the economic considerations. Robots and computer graphics Smilies are to be accepted and adopted by consumers. The problem can only be solved with the carry very faithful expression pattern behavior on artificial beings who act not grossly obvious or strange in everyday life, from today's point of view.

Animated Film

In computer-animated films, the Uncanny Valley is a major problem in the representation of people who should be accepted as such by the viewer. At some point, so the difference is less recognized to a real person and the audience disturbs rather to the remaining differences among the models. Today circumvent successful 3D animation studios like Pixar or DreamWorks, the Uncanny Valley, by usually make non- human characters with human psychology into the protagonists and avoid physiognomically realistic human images or represent people aware with cartoon characters like proportions.

In addition to the accuracy of the visual representation ( design of the characters and photorealistic rendering ), the type of movement has influence on the acceptance. Recorded through motion capture movements are only partially perceived as realistic, if they are transferred to computer-generated figures. Only an elaborate post-processing by experienced animators increases the perceived naturalness (such as the character " Gollum " in The Lord of the Rings ).