It's Uncanny

Have you ever heard of the uncanny valley? It's a theory proposed by several different psychologists and researchers claiming that the more a robot looks and life-like, people will increasingly respond in a positive way until it becomes so life-like that we respond with a sudden revulsion. In other words, the more human the robot, the more we hate it. This theory can also be applied to prosthetics, but zombies would be at the bottom of the valley. Think of it as a bell curve that elevates with the robot's increasing human likeness, only to fall sharply as it approaches near "human-ness". Zombies are at the low point of the curve. The theory is based on the idea that we have empathy for robots when the differences between them and humans are stark, but as the gap narrows, it creeps us the hell out.

I would have to agree with this theory. I can't even watch Shawn of the Dead and it's a stinkin spoof. Robots do creep me out. I hated the movie AI. Not just because it had Haley Joel Osmond in it either. The whole mutant higher order robots at the end just gives me the heebie-jeebies. On the other hand, the kids' movie Robots was just goofy. I also love C-3PO from Star Wars.

What got me on this rant today is this story. This guy built himself a wifey-type robot. To do his, ahem, chores. That's not all I think she does for him. And this creeps me out even more.

Have you ever seen Lars and the Real Girl? Fabulous movie, by the way. I never thought a love story between a guy and sex doll could make me cry, but it did. But the doll, if you can call it that, was just too real looking.

I love technology. I love that we humans have created machines to help us make our lives more efficient. I wouldn't want to live without my washing machine, microwave, furnace, or computer. But I don't want any of my appliances to talk to me. Or cop an attitude. If that's the case, I'd rather just have a dinosaur under the counter for a garbage disposal, a la the Flinstones.

What do you think?