Uncanny Valley

Uncanny Valley

Some people felt uncomfortable when watching the movie Alita: Battle Angel. This is because some people have found Alita: Battle Angel’s main character as something that elicits an uncanny valley feeling.

1. Uncanny Valley Template

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2. Uncanny Valley Phenomenon

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3. Life in the Uncanny Valley

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4. Traversing the Uncanny Valley

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5. Exploring the Uncanny Valley of Mind

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6. Uncanny Valley Analysis

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7. Uncanny Valley Reading Group Gold

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8. Across the Uncanny Valley

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 What Is Uncanny Valley

The uncanny valley is a phenomenon that occurs when a person views something that closely resembles a human being. A person often feels uncomfortable when viewing something that has human characteristics and an uncanny resemblance to something human-like. This often leads the person to find objects that exhibit an uncanny valley feeling to be creepy, which is heavily utilized in the horror genre.

How to Design Something to Have Uncanny Valley

One of the best ways to obtain the attention of people is by respectfully showing them something that would make them somewhat uncomfortable, which is something an object with an uncanny valley will elicit from a person. The uncanny valley is related to an object’s ability to resemble something human-like, which will take some time and effort to do.

Step 1: Learn and Understand Design Elements that Match Human Realism

There are many design elements that will come allow the viewers to easily see something in the context desired by the artist. Begin by learning and understanding the various design elements that will come into play when it comes to making something feel realistic, like skin textures, skin color, eye textures, and more.

Step 2: Learn and Integrate Common Human Behavior. Attitude, and Mannerisms

Another thing one should have to take into consideration is the integration of human-like behavior, attitude, and mannerisms into the object. Uncanny valley occurs in the small space between absolute human-likeness and something human-like, which means the object will need to exhibit some occurrences of human behavior, attitude, and mannerisms.

Step 3: Ensure the Proportions Are Realistic and Human-Like

Lastly, you must ensure that the proportions you use are realistic and human-like. The proportion doesn’t necessarily need to match a hundred percent but should be similar enough to come off as realistic.


FAQs

Why is it called the uncanny valley?

The concept of the uncanny valley is based on the morbid uncomfortable feeling people feel when they view something that looks remarkably similar to a human being but still has an artificial feeling. Researchers have noted that people tend to feel uncomfortable the more human-like the object or thing is to a certain extent. There is a valley-like dip on the graph which denotes the uncanny valley feeling when a person views something that is almost human in appearance and behavior. This valley-like dip lends itself to the name of the whole concept of the uncanniness of some human-like objects, which results in the name uncanny valley.

Why does uncanny valley make people uncomfortable?

The human brain is wired with various processes that try to create an efficient system that maximizes function with the least amount of energy possible. These processes are instinctual, which means that the person unconsciously will do the efficient process. One of these processes is abjection, which is a feeling or a notion that precedes conscious fear and is characterized by the rejection of something the person cannot identify. Objects that exhibit the feeling of uncanny valley cause a person to immediately feel abjection due to the brain’s efficient process, which in turn will cause the person to feel very uncomfortable when observing the image.

What are real-life examples of the uncanny valley?

There are many real-life examples of the uncanny valley a person can observe and encounter in their everyday lives. One of the most basic examples of an object that can elicit an uncanny valley feeling is a high-quality human-like doll, as a lot of people can simply feel uncomfortable after looking at the specific object. Another example of an object that can elicit an uncanny feeling is Sophia, a humanoid robot that can exhibit high-quality levels of facial expression. Basically, anything that looks like a human person, but still has a bit of artificial feeling can elicit the feeling of the uncanny valley.

The uncanny valley is a concept people use to describe and outline the uncomfortable feeling when someone views something that looks like a human but exhibits artificial movements and mannerisms. Due to human fascination with this phenomenon, one can easily obtain a person’s attention or fixation by using the uncanny valley as a talking point. 

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