• The Uncanny Valley is part of a hypothesis of robotics that posits that a human will have greater empathy for a non-human entity (like a robot) as its appearance and emotion become more humanlike. The "valley" refers to a strong negative response humans have to an entity that is nearly human, but still inauthentic enough to seem unnatural and therefore "uncanny".

• Fast Facts

  1. Theory developed by Dr. Masahiro MoriGlimpses: The Uncanny Valley
  2. The human response at the trough of the valley compared to seeing a corpseGlimpses: The Uncanny Valley
  3. Beyond the low point of the valley, human empathy increases once again
  4. Contributing factors for uncanniness include appearance, speech and movementGameSpot: [1] (July 8, 2006)
  5. Observed in real-life androids and mannequins as well as in video games, movies and TV showsThe Age: When fantasy is just too close for comfort (June 10, 2007)

• Uncanny Valley Examples

  • The Polar Express
  • Beowulf
  • Final Fantasy The Spirits Within
  • Final Fantasy video games
  • Resident Evil
  • Metal Gear Solid 4
  • Heavy Rain

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Robotics | Animation | Beowulf (Film) | The Polar Express | Final Fantasy

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