The Uncanny Valley: The Original Essay by Masahiro Mori
Masahiro Mori. 1970. (View Paper → )
This paper by Masahiro Mori introduced the concept that as robots or animations become more human-like, they reach a point where they elicit eerie or uncanny feelings among human observers. This phenomenon occurs just before the appearance becomes indistinguishable from a human, creating a valley in a graph of human likeness versus familiarity or comfort level. The theory suggests there is a dip in emotional response when an entity is almost, but not quite, human-like, leading to feelings of unease or discomfort. This concept has influenced design and research in robotics, animation, and interactive technologies, emphasising the importance of achieving a balance between human likeness and comfort in user experiences.
