Sunday 3 May 2015

Doe, A Deer! & The Uncanny Valley

Well, I think this has been one of the longest blog hiatuses I've ever had! I hope you haven't all forgotten about me. Life update: I've had a spectacularly crappy couple of weeks, but everything is *fingers crossed* going to get better from here on in. I already feel like myself again - I've even been dressing up all cute again and slowly getting back into making clothes (even if it's only printed t-shirts for now, because they don't require a lot of energy to make!)
So I HAVE to talk about a couple of things in this outfit: the first is this brooch that was sent to me by the amazing Amanda from Hungry Designs! I've been wearing it out pretty much every time I leave the house, because it always gets commented on by other cute, well-dressed people, who want to know where I got it from!
And this bag. This bag is ~everything~! The roof is on a hinge so it lifts up to let you put all your stuff - keys, mobile, etc - inside it, and it's even got cute little farm animals painted all around the sides. To this day, it remains one of my best market finds ever. It also makes up part of my blog header!

Outfit details
Shirt is thrifted (Hong Kong Salvos)
Pinafore is vintage Country Road
Brooch c/o Hungry Designs
Bag is Vintage
Tights are from Clear It
Shoes are from Asos
Lipstick is Vixen by Gorgeous Cosmetics


So I really wanted to write a little science bit on that "My Idol" app that was taking off last week - and if you don't know what I'm talking about then you were possibly living under a rock/don't have social media.

Bascially, the My Idol app takes an image of your face and really cleverly fits it to a 3D animated model. And then makes it dance around. To Justin Timberlake. Creepiness ensues.
Posting these pictures on facebook elicited strong reactions of "OMG SCARY" and "I don't like it. Please stop".

Everyone's reaction was pretty much the same, which was: I am at the same time amused and terrified.

But why? Why do we find this so creepy, and have such a strong emotive reaction to something that's not-quite-human?

Well, this sense of "creepiness" has actually been well-studied and is known as the "uncanny valley".
Basically, the more human something appears, the more positively we react to it - until a point. This point, where the figure is almost-but-not-quite-human, is the point at which most people will experience a really strong negative reaction.

It's also the reason why human-like robots are also completely terrifying.
 Hanako the dental robot

Saya the reception robot

And that's also what's happening with the My Idol characters - they look just like us and they move in a human way, but something is just a little bit... off. They're uncanny. And so they fall right into that uncanny valley.
Cute clothes, though.
Did any of you also jump on the My Idol bandwagon and create some terrifying avatars last week? I want to hear all about it!

I hope that you're all having a lovely day,







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10 comments:

  1. I love your pinafore it's so cute! and your bangs look freshly cut too and super cute, the deer brooch is just the icing on the cake though everything is spectacularly kitschy and cute!
    So glad you're feeling more optimistic and I can't wait to see more posts as well as science and sewing tutorials <3 <3
    sending love and good vibes your way

    http://secret-hipster.blogspot.com/

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  2. I love how out of this world that house bag is! Anything unconventional makes my heart sing

    Www.whimsicalzoo.blogspot.com

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  3. awesome vitage outfit, reminds me of Twin Peaks so much <3 and I love the concept of Uncanny Valley (I don't think I'm ready to try MyIdol thing.....)
    lovely post, Annika!

    facebook.com/pigeonart

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  4. Glad you're feeling better. I love this outfit!

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  5. Could never ever forget about you, beautiful. I'm glad you're feeling better and more like yourself again! I've been having one of those rough patches too and I can't wait to get back to feeling like myself again. I know it will happen. <3

    LOLOL Those MyIdol images are the funniest frackin things ever. I was cracking up all week watching my news feed filled with slightly creepy versions of all of my friends ahahaha

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  6. Hahaha I mentioned the uncanny valley to my boyfriend a little while back and he was like, what? And then I was worried I'd made it up. I had to research it again to make sure I wasn't making it up! It's definitely an interesting concept.

    Also can I please have an awesome pin like yours too? No wonder people comment on it. It's fantastic! I love it with the striped pinafore.

    Jamie | PetitePanoply.com

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  7. A little house where you can store your credit cards, coins & lipstick. This is how real life should be ~ filled with whimsy and little joyous things that are also practical!



    Love, Amy

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  8. Oh! Looove the brooch and your vintage outfit! Have you seen the Cinderella dolls at the Disney store? I have a similar feeling with them than what you explain about the MyIdol, they look very very real but at the same time something is off :)

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