Uneasiness in observers of unnatural android movements explained

When the human-likeness of androids exceeds a certain threshold, the human’s affinity for them decreases and an uncanny feeling about them increases. This effect, however, has been relatively unexplored. Osaka University-centered researchers recently found the visual observation of the android, compared with that of the human model, caused greater activation in the subthalamic nucleus, a brain region also involved in the pathology of Parkinson’s disease. The findings further contribute to the knowledge needed to design androids with more natural movements. …read more