8/15/13

The Uncanny Valley - IEEE Spectrum

The Uncanny Valley

By Masahiro Mori Posted 12 Jun 2012 | 11:36 GMT
TranslatedbyKarlF.MacDormanandNorriKageki

Editor'snote:Morethan40yearsago,MasahiroMori,thenaroboticsprofessorattheTokyoInstituteofTechnology, wroteanessayonhowheenvisionedpeople'sreactionstorobotsthatlookedandactedalmosthuman.Inparticular,he hypothesizedthataperson'sresponsetoahumanlikerobotwouldabruptlyshiftfromempathytorevulsionasitapproached, butfailedtoattain,alifelikeappearance.Thisdescentintoeerinessisknownastheuncannyvalley.Theessayappearedin anobscureJapanesejournalcalledEnergyin1970,andinsubsequentyearsitreceivedalmostnoattention.Morerecently, however,theconceptoftheuncannyvalleyhasrapidlyattractedinterestinroboticsandotherscientificcirclesaswellasin popularculture.Someresearchershaveexploreditsimplicationsforhumanrobotinteractionandcomputergraphics animation,whileothershaveinvestigateditsbiologicalandsocialroots.Nowinterestintheuncannyvalleyshouldonly intensify,astechnologyevolvesandresearchersbuildrobotsthatlookincreasinglyhuman.ThoughcopiesofMori'sessay havecirculatedamongresearchers,acompleteversionhasn'tbeenwidelyavailable.ThisisthefirstpublicationofanEnglish translationthathasbeenauthorizedandreviewedbyMori.[Readanexclusiveinterviewwithhim (http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/anuncannymindmasahiromoriontheuncannyvalley).]

Aversionofthisarticleoriginally appearedintheJune2012issue (http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jsp? isnumber=6213218&punumber=100) of IEEERobotics&AutomationMagazine (http://www.ieeeras.org/ram.html) .

spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley

1/9

8/15/13

The Uncanny Valley - IEEE Spectrum

AValleyinOne'sSenseofAffinity Themathematicaltermmonotonicallyincreasingfunctiondescribesarelationinwhichthefunctiony=(x )increasescontinuouslywiththevariablex .For example,aseffortx grows,incomeyincreases,orasacar'sacceleratorispressed,thecarmovesfaster.Thiskindofrelationisubiquitousandveryeasilyunderstood. Infact,becausesuchmonotonicallyincreasingfunctionscovermostphenomenaofeverydaylife,peoplemayfallundertheillusionthattheyrepresentallrelations. Alsoattestingtothisfalseimpressionisthefactthatmanypeoplestrugglethroughlifebypersistentlypushingwithoutunderstandingtheeffectivenessofpullingback. Thatiswhypeopleusuallyarepuzzledwhenfacedwithsomephenomenonthisfunctioncannotrepresent. Anexampleofafunctionthatdoesnotincreasecontinuouslyisclimbingamountaintherelationbetweenthedistance(x)ahikerhastraveledtowardthesummit andthehiker'saltitude(y)owingtotheinterveninghillsandvalleys.Ihavenoticedthat,inclimbingtowardthegoalofmakingrobotsappearhuman,ouraffinity forthemincreasesuntilwecometoavalley(Figure1),whichIcalltheuncannyvalley.

Figure1.Thegraphdepictstheuncannyvalley,theproposedrelationbetweenthehumanlikenessofanentityandtheperceiver'saffinityforit.[Translators'note: BunrakuisatraditionalJapaneseformofmusicalpuppettheaterdatingfromthe17thcentury.Thepuppetsrangeinsizebutaretypicallyaboutameterinheight, dressedinelaboratecostumes,andcontrolledbythreepuppeteersobscuredonlybytheirblackrobes.AnexampleisshownonthecoverofRobotics&Automation Magazine,above.]

spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley

2/9

8/15/13

The Uncanny Valley - IEEE Spectrum

Nowadays,industrialrobotsareincreasinglyrecognizedasthedrivingforcebehindreductionsinfactorypersonnel.However,asiswellknown,theserobotsjust extend,contract,androtatetheirarmswithoutfacesorlegs,theydonotlookveryhuman.Theirdesignpolicyisclearlybasedonfunctionality.Fromthisstandpoint, therobotsmustperformfunctionssimilartothoseofhumanfactoryworkers,butwhethertheylooksimilardoesnotmatter.Thus,giventheirlackofresemblanceto humanbeings,ingeneral,peoplehardlyfeelanyaffinityforthem. 1Ifweplottheindustrialrobotonagraphofaffinityversushumanlikeness,itliesneartheoriginin Figure1. Bycontrast,atoyrobot'sdesignermayfocusmoreontherobot'sappearancethanitsfunctions.Consequently,despiteitsbeingasturdymechanicalfigure,therobot willstarttohavearoughlyhumanlookingexternalformwithaface,twoarms,twolegs,andatorso.Childrenseemtofeeldeeplyattachedtothesetoyrobots.Hence, thetoyrobotisshownhalfwayupthefirsthillinFigure1. Sincecreatinganartificialhumanisitselfoneoftheobjectivesofrobotics,variouseffortsareunderwaytobuildhumanlikerobots. 2 Forexample,arobot'sarmmaybe composedofametalcylinderwithmanybolts,butbycoveringitwithskinandaddingabitoffleshyplumpness,wecanachieveamorehumanlikeappearance.Asa result,wenaturallyrespondtoitwithaheightenedsenseofaffinity. Manyofourreadershaveexperienceinteractingwithpersonswithphysicaldisabilities,andallmusthavefeltsympathyforthosemissingahandorlegandwearinga prostheticlimb.Recently,owingtogreatadvancesinfabricationtechnology,wecannotdistinguishataglanceaprosthetichandfromarealone.Somemodels simulatewrinkles,veins,fingernails,andevenfingerprints.Thoughsimilartoarealhand,theprosthetichand'scolorispinker,asifithadjustcomeoutofthebath. Onemightsaythattheprosthetichandhasachievedadegreeofresemblancetothehumanform,perhapsonaparwithfalseteeth.However,whenwerealizethe hand,whichatfirstsitelookedreal,isinfactartificial,weexperienceaneeriesensation.Forexample,wecouldbestartledduringahandshakebyitslimpboneless griptogetherwithitstextureandcoldness.Whenthishappens,weloseoursenseofaffinity,andthehandbecomesuncanny.Inmathematicalterms,thiscanbe representedbyanegativevalue.Therefore,inthiscase,theappearanceoftheprosthetichandisquitehumanlike,butthelevelofaffinityisnegative,thusplacingthe handnearthebottomofthevalleyinFigure1.Thisexampleillustratestheuncannyvalleyphenomenon. Idon'tthinkthat,oncloseinspection,abunrakupuppetappearsverysimilartoahumanbeing.Itsrealismintermsofsize,skintexture,andsoon,doesnoteven reachthatofarealisticprosthetichand.Butwhenweenjoyapuppetshowinthetheater,weareseatedatacertaindistancefromthestage.Thepuppet'sabsolutesize isignored,anditstotalappearance,includinghandandeyemovements,isclosetothatofahumanbeing.So,givenourtendencyasanaudiencetobecomeabsorbed inthisformofart,wemightfeelahighlevelofaffinityforthepuppet. Fromtheprecedingdiscussion,thereadersshouldbeabletounderstandtheconceptoftheuncannyvalley.Sonowletusconsiderinmoredetailtherelationbetween theuncannyvalleyandmovement. TheEffectofMovement

spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley

3/9

8/15/13

The Uncanny Valley - IEEE Spectrum

Movementisfundamentaltoanimalsincludinghumanbeingsandthustorobotsaswell.Itspresencechangestheshapeoftheuncannyvalleygraphbyamplifying thepeaksandvalleys,asshowninFigure2.Forpointofillustration,whenanindustrialrobotisswitchedoff,itisjustagreasymachine.Butoncetherobotis programmedtomoveitsgripperlikeahumanhand,westarttofeelacertainlevelofaffinityforit.(Inthiscase,thevelocity,acceleration,anddecelerationmust approximatehumanmovement.)Conversely,whenaprosthetichandthatisnearthebottomoftheuncannyvalleystartstomove,oursensationofeeriness intensifies.

Figure2.Thepresenceofmovementsteepenstheslopesoftheuncannyvalley.Thearrow'spathinthefigurerepresentsthesuddendeathofahealthyperson. [Translators'note:NohisatraditionalJapaneseformofmusicaltheaterdatingfromthe14thcenturyinwhichactorscommonlywearmasks.Theyaseotokomask bearsthefaceofanemaciatedmanandrepresentsaghostfromhell.Theokinamaskrepresentsanoldman.] Somereadersmayknowthatrecenttechnologyhasenabledprosthetichandstoextendandcontracttheirfingersautomatically.Thebestcommerciallyavailable model,showninFigure3,wasdevelopedinVienna.Toexplainhowitworks,evenifaperson'sforearmismissing,theintentiontomovethefingersproducesafaint currentinthearmmuscles,whichcanbedetectedbyanelectromyogram.Whentheprosthetichanddetectsthecurrentbymeansofelectrodesontheskin'ssurface,it amplifiesthesignaltoactivateasmallmotorthatmovesitsfingers.Becausethismyoelectrichandmakesmovements,itcouldmakehealthypeoplefeeluneasy.If someonewearingthehandinadarkplaceshookawoman'shandwithit,thewomanwouldassuredlyshriek!

spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley

4/9

8/15/13

The Uncanny Valley - IEEE Spectrum

spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley

5/9

8/15/13

The Uncanny Valley - IEEE Spectrum

spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley

6/9

8/15/13

The Uncanny Valley - IEEE Spectrum

Figure3.Ahumanarm(topleft)controlsarealisticmyoelectrichand,calledtheViennaHand. Sincenegativeeffectsofmovementareapparentevenwithaprosthetichand,awholerobotwouldmagnifythecreepiness.Andthatisjustonerobot.Imaginea craftsmanbeingawakenedsuddenlyinthedeadofnight.Hesearchesdownstairsforsomethingamongacrowdofmannequinsinhisworkshop.Ifthemannequins startedtomove,itwouldbelikeahorrorstory. Movementrelatedeffectscouldbeobservedatthe1970WorldExpositioninOsaka,Japan.Plansfortheeventhadpromptedtheconstructionofrobotswithsome highlysophisticateddesigns.Forexample,onerobothad29pairsofartificialmusclesintheface(thesamenumberasahumanbeing)tomakeitsmileina humanlikefashion.Accordingtothedesigner,asmileisadynamicsequenceoffacialdeformations,andthespeedofthedeformationsiscrucial.Whenthespeedis cutinhalfinanattempttomaketherobotbringupasmilemoreslowly,insteadoflookinghappy,itsexpressionturnscreepy.Thisshowshow,becauseofavariation inmovement,somethingthathascometoappearveryclosetohumanlikearobot,puppet,orprosthetichandcouldeasilytumbledownintotheuncannyvalley. EscapebyDesign Wehopetodesignandbuildrobotsandprosthetichandsthatwillnotfallintotheuncannyvalley.Thus,becauseoftheriskinherentintryingtoincreasetheirdegree ofhumanlikenesstoscalethesecondpeak,Irecommendthatdesignersinsteadtakethefirstpeakastheirgoal,whichresultsinamoderatedegreeofhumanlikeness andaconsiderablesenseofaffinity.Infact,Ipredictitispossibletocreateasafelevelofaffinitybydeliberatelypursuinganonhumandesign.Iaskdesignersto ponderthis.Toillustratetheprinciple,considereyeglasses.Eyeglassesdonotresemblerealeyeballs,butonecouldsaythattheirdesignhascreatedacharmingpairof neweyes.Soweshouldfollowthesameprincipleindesigningprosthetichands.Indoingso,insteadofpitifullookingrealistichands,stylishoneswouldlikely becomefashionable. Asanotherexample,considerthismodelofahumanhandcreatedbyawoodcarverwhosculptsstatuesofBuddhas(Figure4).Thefingersbendfreelyatthejoints. Thehandlacksfingerprints,anditretainsthenaturalcolorofthewood,butitsroundnessandbeautifulcurvesdonotelicitanyeeriesensation.Perhapsthiswooden handcouldalsoserveasareferencefordesign.

spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley

7/9

8/15/13

The Uncanny Valley - IEEE Spectrum

spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley

8/9

8/15/13

The Uncanny Valley - IEEE Spectrum

Figure4.AmodelofahandcreatedbyawoodcarverofBuddhastatues. AnExplanationoftheUncanny Ashealthypersons,wearerepresentedatthecrestofthesecondpeakinFigure2(moving).Thenwhenwedie,weare,ofcourse,unabletomovethebodygoescold, andthefacebecomespale.Therefore,ourdeathcanberegardedasamovementfromthesecondpeak(moving)tothebottomoftheuncannyvalley(still),asindicated bythearrow'spathinFigure2.Wemightbegladthisarrowleadsdownintothestillvalleyofthecorpseandnotthevalleyanimatedbythelivingdead! Ithinkthisdescentexplainsthesecretlyingdeepbeneaththeuncannyvalley.Whywereweequippedwiththiseeriesensation?Isitessentialforhumanbeings?I havenotyetconsideredthesequestionsdeeply,butIhavenodoubtitisanintegralpartofourinstinctforselfpreservation. 3 Weshouldbegintobuildanaccuratemapoftheuncannyvalley,sothatthroughroboticsresearchwecancometounderstandwhatmakesushuman.Thismapisalso necessarytoenableustocreateusingnonhumandesignsdevicestowhichpeoplecanrelatecomfortably.

However,industrialrobotsareconsiderablycloserinappearancetohumansthanmachineryingeneral,especiallyintheirarms.[backtotext] Othersbelievethatthetrueappealofrobotsistheirpotentialtoexceedandaugmenthumans.[backtotext]

3 Thesenseofeerinessisprobablyaformofinstinctthatprotectsusfromproximal,ratherthandistal,sourcesofdanger.Proximalsourcesofdangerarecorpses,

membersofdifferentspecies,andotherentitieswecancloselyapproach.Distalsourcesofdangerincludewindstormsandfloods.[backtotext] ImagesusedwithpermissionfromM.Mori,"TheUncannyValley,"Energy,vol.7,no.4,pp.3335,1970(inJapanese). Aboutthetranslators: KarlF.MacDorman(http://www.macdorman.com/)isanassociateprofessorofhumancomputerinteractionattheSchoolofInformatics,IndianaUniversity (http://www.soic.indiana.edu/).Hisresearchinterestsincludeandroidscience,machinelearning,socialrobotics,andcomputationalneuroscience. NorriKageki(http://twitter.com/getrobo)isajournalistwhowritesaboutrobots.SheisoriginallyfromTokyoandcurrentlylivesintheSanFranciscoBayArea.She isthepublisherofGetRobo(http://www.getrobo.com)andalsowritesforvariouspublicationsintheUnitedStatesandJapan.

spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley

9/9