Home // ACHI 2024, The Seventeenth International Conference on Advances in Computer-Human Interactions // View article

Evaluating Digital Avatars in VR - A Systematic Approach to Quantify the Uncanny Valley Effect

Authors:
Hakan Arda
Andreas Henneberger

Keywords: Uncanny valley, human-like avatars, human-likeness, database, virtual reality.

Abstract:
Virtual reality has undergone drastic developments in recent years. At the forefront are almost perfectly rendered real-life objects that can hardly be distinguished from the original. However, while the improvements in the realism of the environment significantly increase the user's immersion in the world, the increase in the realism of human-like avatars seems to have the opposite effect. Extremely realistic depictions of people in computer games, films or other immersive applications often evoke negative feelings and can thus lead to a break in immersion. This emotional break is illustrated by looking at the uncanny valley curve. In this work, we have tried to develop a way to evaluate human-like avatars according to the uncanny valley curve and thus to determine more precisely where the discomfort comes from. To do this, we created a database of over 200 images of avatars and used studies to determine various precise characteristics that make these avatars similar to humans. In addition, we were able to test the approach of this work with a pilot study and thus offer a possibility for evaluations of avatars according to uncanny valley for future research.

Pages: 1 to 6

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2024

Publication date: May 26, 2024

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-4138

ISBN: 978-1-68558-163-3

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Dates: from May 26, 2024 to May 30, 2024