We have completed maintenance on DiscoverMagazine.com and action may be required on your account. Learn More

The Creepy Feeling in the Uncanny Valley

Almost — but not quite — humanlike robots can freak us out. But for roboticists, that feeling is an opportunity to get things right.

By Avery Hurt
Nov 4, 2021 5:00 AMNov 10, 2021 2:40 PM
Uncanny valley robot
(Credit: Ned Snowman/Shutterstock)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

In his 2003 book, The Uncanny: An Introduction, Nicholas Royle describes the uncanny as "concerned with the strange, weird, and mysterious, with a flickering sense (but not conviction) of something supernatural." The uncanny, Royle continues, is also marked by feelings of uncertainty, inciting doubt about the very nature of reality itself.

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.