Uncanny Valley

C1 16+

Pronunciation: /ʌnˈkæni ˈvæli/

Definitions of uncanny valley

noun A term used in the field of robotics and human-computer interaction to describe the phenomenon where a humanoid object closely resembles a human but still appears unsettling or eerie to observers.

Example Sentences

A1 The concept of uncanny valley can be confusing for some people.

A2 Many children find characters in animated movies that fall into the uncanny valley unsettling.

B1 The uncanny valley effect is often used in horror movies to create a sense of unease in the audience.

B2 As technology advances, we are getting closer to bridging the uncanny valley in virtual reality experiences.

C1 The uncanny valley phenomenon has been studied extensively in the fields of robotics and computer graphics.

C2 Some experts believe that the uncanny valley is a result of our brain's inability to process conflicting information in a realistic human-like form.

Examples of uncanny valley in a Sentence

formal The concept of the uncanny valley refers to the discomfort people feel when a humanoid robot looks almost, but not quite, like a real human.

informal Have you ever noticed how some animated characters fall into the uncanny valley and look a bit creepy?

slang That new CGI character in the movie totally falls into the uncanny valley - it's just not quite right.

figurative Her attempt to mimic her favorite celebrity's style was so close yet so far, landing her in the fashion uncanny valley.

Grammatical Forms of uncanny valley

past tense

experienced

plural

uncanny valleys

comparative

more uncanny valley

superlative

most uncanny valley

present tense

experiences

future tense

will experience

perfect tense

has experienced

continuous tense

is experiencing

singular

uncanny valley

positive degree

uncanny valley

infinitive

to experience

gerund

experiencing

participle

experienced

Origin and Evolution of uncanny valley

First Known Use: 1970 year
Language of Origin: Japanese
Story behind the word: The term 'uncanny valley' was coined by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in an essay titled 'Bukimi no Tani' (Uncanny Valley), published in 1970.
Evolution of the word: The concept of the uncanny valley has since been widely discussed in the fields of robotics, artificial intelligence, and human-computer interaction, evolving to encompass the discomfort or eeriness felt when humanoid robots or computer-generated characters closely resemble humans but still fall short in terms of realistic appearance or behavior.