Deep in the Uncanny Valley

By: Kristina Lyn Heitkamp

Deep in the Uncanny Valley: Exploring almost human robots and why they creep us out

 Throughout art, literature and science, humans have produced robots in their image. However, a robot that looks too human provokes an eerie, uncanny feeling that makes us want to run away screaming. This article explores the uncanny, from Thomas Edison’s little monsters to overcoming the creepy feeling in a future of social robots and realistic digital characters in entertainment and education.