**Navigation:** [[System (Process)]] | [[Research Question]] | [[System (Keywords)]] **Related:** [[Machine Embodiment]] | [[Machine Point Of View]] | [[Robots (Research)]] **Resources:** [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley) --- # Uncanny Valley ## Definition The **Uncanny Valley** is a hypothesis in robotics and cognitive psychology that describes the unsettling feeling humans experience when encountering robots or digital beings that appear almost, but not exactly, like real humans. ## Key Characteristics ### The Valley Effect - **Low similarity** to humans → comfortable/neutral response - **High but imperfect similarity** → discomfort, revulsion, eeriness - **Very high similarity** → positive response again ### Psychological Response The phenomenon suggests that as robots become more human-like, our emotional response becomes increasingly positive until a point where small imperfections become deeply disturbing. ## Historical Context **Origin:** Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori (1970) **Original term:** *bukimi no tani* (不気味の谷) **Translation:** "Valley of eeriness" or "uncanny valley" ## Relevance to System Project ### Design Philosophy The System project's "electronic organisms" deliberately avoid human-like appearance, instead: - Embracing **non-human morphologies** - Exploring **alternative forms of embodiment** - Creating entities that are **clearly artificial** yet autonomous ### Avoiding Anthropomorphism By designing machines that don't mimic human form, the project: - Sidesteps uncanny valley responses - Allows focus on **autonomous behavior** rather than appearance - Explores **genuinely alien** forms of machine intelligence ## Related Phenomena ### Anthropomorphism Humans naturally attribute human characteristics to non-human entities, especially those that: - Move autonomously - Respond to stimuli - Appear to have goals or intentions ### Emotional Attachment Studies show that humans develop emotional bonds with robots, even simple ones: - Military personnel holding "funerals" for destroyed battle robots - Users feeling empathy for damaged or threatened robots - Hesitation to harm anthropomorphic machines ## Design Implications ### For Robotics - Consider target audience and context - Balance functionality with appearance - Be aware of cultural differences in acceptance ### For Interactive Art - Use uncanny responses deliberately for artistic effect - Explore discomfort as meaningful aesthetic experience - Challenge assumptions about human-machine relationships ## Visual Reference ![[Screenshot 2024-12-11 at 10.21.52.jpg]] *Figure: Graph showing the relationship between human likeness and emotional response, illustrating the "valley" of negative response* --- *See also: [[Egon Bondy]] | [[The Chinise Room Argument]] | [[Turing test]]*