The Uncanny Valley - BarCamp Canberra

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s play a game creepy or not

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So what is this creepiness factor?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Crossing the uncanny valley?

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

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/

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

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)

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

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The Uncanny Valley - BarCamp Canberra

by Ruth Ellison on Mar 28, 2009

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