Why 'Uncanny Valley' Human Look-Alikes Put Us on Edge
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 - 14:30
in Mathematics & Economics
When Pixar screened a computer-animated short film called "Tin Toy" in 1988, test audiences hated the sight of the pseudo-realistic baby named "Billy" who terrorized the toys. Such a strong reaction persuaded Pixar to avoid making uncannily realistic human characters -- it has since focused its efforts on films about living toys, curious robots and talking cars to win Academy Awards and moviegoers' hearts. [More]