What to Know About the Uncanny Valley: Introduction and Origins

What is the uncanny valley?

• A term describing the relationship between human-like appearance of a robotic object and the emotional response it evokes

• A valley where robots are built to look realistic

• A movie about robots and humans

• A computer program that generates human faces

Which movie is mentioned as a classic example of the uncanny valley phenomenon?

• Polar Express

• Wall-E

• Toy Story

• The Matrix

What emotional responses do people often feel when encountering humanoid robots that are highly realistic but not quite human?

• Unease or even revulsion

• Excitement and joy

• Indifference and boredom

• Curiosity and interest

Who first coined and described the phenomenon known as the uncanny valley?

• Masahiro Mori

• Jasia Reichardt

• Isaac Asimov

• Alan Turing

According to Masahiro Mori, what happens as robots become more human-like in appearance?

• People's affinity for them increases until a point, then drops sharply in the uncanny valley

• People always like them more as they look more human

• People dislike them regardless of appearance

• People become afraid of all robots

What is one implication of the uncanny valley for the field of robotics and artificial intelligence?

• Devices and avatars made to mimic the human experience may end up alienating people who use them

• Robots will always be accepted if they look realistic

• Artificial intelligence has no impact on human emotions

• Humanoid robots are always preferred over non-human-like robots

Select all characteristics that are commonly associated with the uncanny valley phenomenon.

• Feeling of unease

• Strangeness

• Disgust

• Creepiness

• Excitement

What is the uncanny valley effect?

• A phenomenon where something appears highly lifelike yet generates feelings of unease

• A valley where robots are tested for realism

• A technique used in animation to make characters more appealing

• A type of movie genre focused on lifelike characters

Which movie is cited as an example of the uncanny valley effect due to its computer-generated faces being close to lifelike but having unsettling facial expressions?

• The Polar Express

• Cats

• Shrek

• Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Why did the filmmakers of Shrek edit Princess Fiona's appearance before the film's theatrical release?

• To prevent the uncanny valley effect by making her more cartoon-like

• To make her look more realistic and lifelike

• To add more human-like movements to her character

• To make her resemble a cat