Uncanny Valley

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Representation of the uncanny valley effect with classification of various objects and creatures.

As Uncanny Valley ( English "uncanny valley", "horror ditch") or acceptance gap refers to a previously hypothetical and paradoxical appearing effect in the acceptance of presented artificial figures on the audience.

Originally described by Masahiro Mori , a Japanese robotist, as the "phenomenon of the uncanny valley" ( Japanese 不 気 味 の 谷 現象 bukimi no tani genshō ) today, this effect describes the phenomenon that the acceptance of technically simulated, non-verbal behavior by viewers from Reality content of the presented carriers ( robots , avatars , etc.) depends, however, does not increase monotonously with the anthropomorphism (the human resemblance) of the figure, but records a sharp drop within a certain range. The graphic illustrates this.

While one would initially assume that viewers or computer gamers accept the avatars presented to them the more the more photorealistic the figure is, it turns out in practice that this is not the case. People find highly abstract, completely artificial figures more sympathetic and acceptable than figures that are particularly human-like or natural.

According to the theory, acceptance drops suddenly from a certain level of anthropomorphism and only increases again from a certain, very high level. The acceptance would be highest if the imitations could no longer be distinguished from real people at all.

Recent research doubts this increase and suggests an uncanny cliff .

Explanations of the Uncanny Valley

This effect is often used as an argument when it is to be explained why a specific entertainment production ( animation film ) has flopped and did not achieve the expected success. However, there are only sparse empirical data and no conclusive theories that could explain the effect scientifically enough.

A media-psychological explanation: machines or abstract avatars are classified by the observer as autonomous, and existing human characteristics are therefore credited to them. Human-like robots, on the other hand, are classified as humans, so deficiencies in non-verbal behavior are resented.

Expression- psychological explanation: People with deviant orpattern-unrelated expressive behaviorgenerate aversion in the pattern observer . A robot that claims to be human is intuitively measured by the observer using the same standards as a human, whereby its unnatural expressive components stand out negatively. A robot that does not claim to be human in the first place is not rated like a human either.

Neuroscientific explanation: Neuroscientific examinations with the help of functional magnetic resonance imaging suggest that a deviation of the observed object from the internally formed prediction could possibly cause the phenomenon. While a robot is clearly classified as a machine and a human is clearly classified as such, a human-like robot falls between the categories.

Examples

At the CeBIT computer fair , independent electrical devices ( vacuum cleaner robots ) that have a kind of simulated hunger were demonstrated . If the power supply ran out, they looked for a socket to recharge - and the less the power reserves were, the more urgent. The audience laughed especially when it was demonstrated how “excited” these devices could get if they continued to be hindered on the way to the socket. That looked cute because the audience could recognize themselves in it, i. H. discovered human behavior in a "being" that is otherwise not human at all. On the other hand, robots that were specifically designed to be human-like were often very suspiciously observed at CeBIT. It looked as if someone was approaching who was very strange in his expressive behavior. Adults are often reluctant to use robots, and children sometimes cry when robots make contact with them.

Overcoming the Uncanny Valley is an expression psychological phenomenon into which economic considerations flow. According to the manufacturer, robots and computer graphics avatars should be accepted and accepted by consumers . The prevailing opinion at the moment is that this phenomenon can be solved by transferring only very pattern-faithful expressive behavior, which does not appear grossly conspicuous or curious in everyday life , to artificial beings.

The ethorobotic research field for social robots offers an alternative solution strategy . These should not be measured by people's abilities, but by how they perform their intended function in a socially competent manner. Social robots should be viewed as a species of their own, acting in partnership with humans. The domestication of the dog is used as a comparison , whereby the dog is trained to have different social skills according to its various tasks.

Animation film

In computer-animated films, the Uncanny Valley is a big problem when it comes to depicting people who should be accepted as such by the viewer. At a certain point, the difference to a real person is less recognized and the audience is more bothered by the remaining differences to the role models. A frequently cited example is Der Polarexpress from 2004. Today, successful 3D animation studios such as Pixar or Dreamworks bypass the Uncanny Valley by making mostly non-human figures with human psychology the main actors and avoiding physiognomically realistic depictions of people or people consciously using cartoon characters - represent similar proportions.

In addition to the accuracy of the visual representation (design of the figures and photo-realistic rendering ), the type of movement also has an impact on acceptance. Movements recorded by motion capture are only partially perceived as realistic when they are transferred to computer-generated figures. Only extensive post-processing by experienced animators increases the perceived naturalness (such as the character “ Gollum ” in The Lord of the Rings ).

See also

Web links

Commons : Uncanny Valley  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Mori, Masahiro: Bukimi no tani the uncanny valley. 1970, Energy, 7, pp. 33-35. [Source cannot be found]
  2. ↑ Mori, Masahiro; MacDorman, Karl F., Kageki, Norri: The Uncanny Valley. 2012, IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine, 19, pp. 98–100, doi : 10.1109 / MRA.2012.2192811 [authorized republication]
  3. ^ Mori, Masahiro: The uncanny valley . Translation from Japanese: MacDorman, Karl F .; Schwind, Valentin. in: Haensch, Konstantin Daniel; Carnation, Lara; Planitzer, Matthias (Ed.): Uncanny Interfaces. Textem Verlag, Hamburg 2019. pp. 212–219, doi : 10.5281 / zenodo.3226987 . ISBN 978-3-86485-217-6 [republication]
  4. ↑ Bartneck, Christoph et al .: Is The Uncanny Valley An Uncanny Cliff? 16th IEEE International Conference on Robot & Human Interactive Communication August 26-29, 2007 / Jeju, Korea.
  5. ↑ MacDorman, Karl F. : Masahiro Mori and the uncanny valley: A Retrospective in: Haensch, Konstantin Daniel; Carnation, Lara; Planitzer, Matthias (Ed.): Uncanny Interfaces. Textem Verlag, Hamburg 2019. pp. 220–234, doi : 10.5281 / zenodo.3226274 . ISBN 978-3-86485-217-6
  6. ↑ Saygin, AP, Chaminade, T., Ishiguro, H., Driver, J. & Frith, C .: The thing that should not be: Predictive coding and the uncanny valley in perceiving human and humanoid robot actions . Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience, 2012, 7 (4), pp. 413-422, doi: 10.1093 / scan / nsr025
  7. ↑ Miklósi, Ádám and Korondi, Péter and Matellán, Vicente and Gácsi, Márta: Ethorobotics: A New Approach to Human-Robot Relationship . Frontiers in Psychology, 2017, 8, p. 958, doi: 10.3389 / fpsyg.2017.00958
  8. ↑ Paul Clinton: Review: 'Polar Express' a creepy ride , CNN November 10, 2004, accessed December 15, 2015
  9. ↑ Barbara Herman: The 10 Scariest Movies and Why They Creep Us Out , Newsweek October 30, 2013, accessed December 15, 2015.
  10. ↑ Kristen Page-Kirby: 'The D Train' isn't actually about trains. But these 5 movies are. , Washington Post, July 5, 2015, accessed December 15, 2015.