Strange effect when you face robots that are too similar to humans

Robots look like humans - the story seems interesting, but when faced with an amazing human-like robot, we feel scared. That is the content of Uncanny Valley.

In the fast-paced technological age of today, the ambition to create a "unbelievable" human-like robot or fantasy character is completely grounded.

But that is only a theory, but making it a reality is different. We humans are a higher creature, which means that being able to create something like a copy requires taking into account each gesture.

And if only to a certain extent, creating robots like humans but still-robots, we will fall into an effect called Uncanny Valley - the strange valley.

What is specific Uncanny valley?

This effect is understood very simply as follows, when something is not human, but has some human-like features, it will become very attractive.

The thing is, the creature becomes too human, but it is not 100% perfect, but there are still non-human traces, then we feel scared.

You can take dolls for example. If you see a doll that can speak, glance, move, you will find it interesting or like . Annabelle?

If a doll looks at you laughing, how do you feel?

Where does the effect come from?

Defined by Masahiro Mori in 1970, the term describes a strange reaction to artificial objects that closely resemble humans, like robots or game characters, animation.

At that time, Mori was building a robot according to his own pattern. Interested people initially enjoyed it, but when it became more and more like people (with fake skin, hair and eyes, emotional faces .), they were terrified. He then created a chart, and gave it a name as we know it.

This is Uncanny Valley - the strange valley.

The description of this effect is simple, but it is quite the opposite to go into it. As a result, it has sparked an inexhaustible debate about the true existence of the effect.

For example, Jari Kätsyri and colleagues from Maastricht University conducted research, then came to the conclusion that this effect is difficult to identify, and it may not be real.

Hiroshi Ishiguro - an engineer who creates robots exactly like himself.

But at the same time, Maya Mathur and David Reichling from Stanford University studied over 80 real robots. Their figures show that the trend of human interest in robots is completely correct compared to Masahiro Mori's prediction. Since then, 3 assumptions have been made about this effect.

• First , the "Strange Valley" occurs at the boundary of the Non-Must-Human state to Man.
• Second , its presence may depend and whether we can believe that "human-like" objects have souls like ours. Like a fear of a doll, if you believe something is "haunting" on it, you will see a horrifying fear.
• Finally , this effect occurs only when there is a lack of connection between the expression and the actions of the models themselves. For example, the fear of clowns, makeup makes him always smile, and that is what makes scary.

Scary robot or not?

The answer is no ! This conclusion is based on research by Kurt Gray and Daniel Wegner. The results of the study show that robots are only scary when people think that they have the ability to feel and experience everything on their own, and if they don't have a soul or a soul like a human, they don't. scary.

However, the strange valley effect still exists, as more and more robots like humans appear. Here are some examples.

1. CB2 Child Robot

CB2, a biological body robot developed in JST ERATO Asada project and Kokoro Ltd. company.

2. Saya receptionist robot

Possessing 27 artificial facial muscles invented by Tokyo's Kobayashi University of Science, Saya will probably bring an extremely horrifying feeling to viewers.

3. Kurokawa and Actroid-F

Created by Kokoro robot company and Japan Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Institute (AIST). Despite the ability to speak, this pair of robots has only 12 integrated facial expressions.

4. Jules

As a robot designed and completed by David Hanson, Jules can talk as well as express facial emotions easily.

Which robot are you afraid of?