Tuesday, August 07, 2007

A very short post with two creepy links

Ok, this thing is just creepy.

And then I saw this...

It is the uncanny valley indeed.

9 comments:

Stephanie Gray said...

Thank you for those links - I'm researching the uncanny valley at the moment.

The dog movie in particular supports a theory that I've been working on: although the original idea of the uncanny valley is based on proximity to humanlikeness, it's possible to have a non-human something trigger similar feelings of unsettled revulsion. Therefore, it may be more that for any member predominantly of category X, being almost-but-not-quite X does unpleasant things to our reactions to them. (Where X might be human, canine, table, car...)

Food for thought - thanks!

J.D. said...

Uh, what?

SamuraiFrog said...

Stephanie's theory is interesting, though personally I would say that X has to be something living rather than just anything. Mammals especially, because mammals are warm and we're especially drawn to them.

What I do know for sure is that both of those links just unsettled the hell out of me.

Mayren said...

I can't seem to get the dog one to work but i think it's my end.. the girl is wierd and crazy.

You have the best links.
*huggles*

MC said...

Stephanie: I think with the dog, it is all in the eyes and the mouth(because dogs generally don't smile like that). I think you might find that if you showed people video of a mammal with head movements like say a member of the bird family, they would find it somewhat disturbing, but most wouldn't be able to tell you why exactly.

SF: I think I agree with you that the experience has to be in some way replicating life.

JD: At what point did we lose you?

Mayren: The dog one is unnerving, but the woman is the one that should make you shudder.

Anonymous said...

hmmm--saying it is creepy is an understatement.

J.D. said...

"Dog". I think.

Micgar said...

both are kinda weird, but I have to say that the dog one is creepier because its a dog, and dogs aren't supposed to do that.

MC said...

Foo: Disturbing a better word.

JD: hehehe

Micgar: well, outside of the animated world at least.