Lin Gu Undergraduate Dissertation 2015/16

Exploring the Uncanny Valley in Speech

Supervised by R.K.Moore

Abstract

'Uncanny Valley' was found by M asahiro Mori ,a J apanese R oboticist . This word represents a weird statement. In Robotics, the scientists design a robot more and more like the human in the visual and the vocal sides. When the Human-Likeness increases of the robot, the Affinity of human also increases. However, in one position, the Affinity suddenly decreases to a low statement. Then, with increasing of Human-Likeness, the Affinity will be restored to the original statement or a higher position. This curve is called 'Uncanny Valley' phenomenon.

Robticists created many of visual experiments to measure this phenomenon in the visual area. Except the visual area, speech also is an important factor to judge if a robot like the human. This project will search the 'Uncanny Valley' phenomenon in the vocal area.