Post 3 Uncanny Valley:
It is human nature to feel unsettled by a human-like entity that has unusual behavior. With our minds high attuned to human emotions shown through facial expressions, thus when an expression is slightly off we perceive it as a threat. Our brain is made to recognize things with speed, so when something does not look completely human like the categorization within the brain essentially stumbles, creating this sense of fear.
The robot, Ameca, made by Engineered Arts, has a seemingly human-like silicone face, has the ability to track people and/or objects, recognize faces and voices, and detect different emotions and age. I feel as though with recent advancements in technology, within a decade uncanny valley may no longer exist. Robots are becoming more and more human-like, thus the ability to differentiate real and fake starts to blur. This primal fear our body creates is a protection mechanism which I hope for the sake of humanity, we never lose.
https://builtin.com/robotics/uncanny-valley-examples
This is a really interesting take on the uncanny valley! I like how you explained the brain’s reaction when it can’t fully categorize something as human. I also agree that as technology improves, robots like Ameca are starting to feel less creepy and more familiar. Still, like you said, that natural fear response might be important it reminds us to question what’s real and what’s artificial. I think holding on to that instinct could help us stay grounded as AI and robotics continue to grow. Great post :)
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