Crossing the Uncanny Valley: Breakthrough in technology for lifelike facial expressions in androids

A research group led by Osaka University has developed a technology that allows androids to dynamically express their mood states, such as "excited" or "sleepy," by synthesizing facial movements as superimposed decaying waves.

Even if an android's appearance is so realistic that it could be mistaken for a human in a photograph, watching it move in person can feel a bit unsettling. It can smile, frown, or display other various, familiar expressions, but finding a consistent emotional state behind those expressions can be difficult, leaving you unsure of what it is truly feeling and creating a sense of unease.

Until now, when allowing robots that can move many parts of their face, like androids, to display facial expressions for extended periods, a 'patchwork method' has been used. This method involves preparing multiple pre-arranged action scenarios to ensure that unnatural facial movements are excluded while switching between these scenarios as ...