Avoiding the uncanny valley: robot appearance, personality and consistency of behavior in an attention-seeking home scenario for a robot companion

Abstract

This article presents the results of video-based Human Robot Interaction (HRI) trials which investigated people's perceptions of different robot appearances and associated attention-seeking features and behaviors displayed by robots with different appearance and behaviors. The HRI trials studied the participants' preferences for various features of robot appearance and behavior, as well as their personality attributions towards the robots compared to their own personalities. Overall, participants tended to prefer robots with more human-like appearance and attributes. However, systematic individual differences in the dynamic appearance ratings are not consistent with a universal effect. Introverts and participants with lower emotional stability tended to prefer the mechanical looking appearance to a greater degree than other participants. It is also shown that it is possible to rate individual elements of a particular robot's behavior and then assess the contribution, or otherwise, of The HRI study which provides the basis of the research presented in this article has been presented in preliminary form in two conference papers, Walters et al. (2007) andSyrdal et al. (2007b). that element to the overall perception of the robot by people. Relating participants' dynamic appearance ratings of individual robots to independent static appearance ratings provided evidence that could be taken to support a portion of the left hand side of Mori's theoretically proposed 'uncanny valley' diagram. Suggestions for future work are outlined.

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“…On the far left of the figure, Mori says, we find 'industrial robots', such as robot arms. In designing these kinds of robots, which over the years have collectively come to be called 'mechanical robots' or 'mechanoids' [4], the focus is on functionality, rather than on appearance [2]. Robot arms don't need to look like anything that provokes life-likeness or empathy in human beings -they need to complete specifically defined tasks, and that is all.…”

“…Robot arms don't need to look like anything that provokes life-likeness or empathy in human beings -they need to complete specifically defined tasks, and that is all. Since functionality is the main design goal for these kinds of robots, mechanoids tend to be "relatively machine-like in appearance" [4].…”

“…This design lets children enjoy a sense of familiarity with the humanoid toy. [2] This cluster of robots, which we will collectively call 'humanoids' is "not realistically human-like in appearance" and can easily be perceived as being robots, yet "possess some human-like features, which are usually stylized, simplified or cartoon-like versions of human equivalents" [4]. Sony's robot dog AIBO and Honda's humanoid Asimo are examples in case.…”

“…If robots are too human-like, yet display behaviors that are less than perfectly human, Mori predicts there will be a steep decline in the level of familiarity, so much so that a deep sense of eeriness, or uncanniness, arises. If their appearance has "high fidelity", Walters et al write, "even slight inconsistencies in behavior can have a powerful unsettling effect " [4]. To explain how this works, Mori discusses the example of a prosthetic hand.…”

“…. " [4]. Whether their efforts will turn out only produce permanent inhabitants of the uncanny valley, or whether they will manage to get their machines to climb the final slope, time, practical constraints and our changing philosophical understanding of human-likeness will reveal.…”