A Novel Method of Exploring the Uncanny Valley in Avatar Gender(Sex) and Realism Using Electromyography
Despite the variety of applications that use avatars (virtual humans), how end-users perceive avatars are not fully understood, and accurately measuring these perceptions remains a challenge. To measure end-user responses more accurately to avatars, this pilot study uses a novel methodology which ai...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Big Data and Cognitive Computing |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-2289/6/2/61 |
| _version_ | 1797489933481410560 |
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| author | Jacqueline D. Bailey Karen L. Blackmore |
| author_facet | Jacqueline D. Bailey Karen L. Blackmore |
| author_sort | Jacqueline D. Bailey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the variety of applications that use avatars (virtual humans), how end-users perceive avatars are not fully understood, and accurately measuring these perceptions remains a challenge. To measure end-user responses more accurately to avatars, this pilot study uses a novel methodology which aims to examine and categorize end-user facial electromyography (f-EMG) responses. These responses (<i>n</i> = 92) can be categorized as pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral using control images sourced from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS). This methodology can also account for variability between participant responses to avatars. The novel methodology taken here can assist in the comparisons of avatars, such as gender(sex)-based differences. To examine these gender(sex) differences, participant responses to an avatar can be categorized as either pleasant, unpleasant, neutral or a combination. Although other factors such as age may unconsciously affect the participant responses, age was not directly considered in this work. This method may allow avatar developers to better understand how end-users objectively perceive an avatar. The recommendation of this methodology is to aim for an avatar that returns a pleasant, neutral, or pleasant-neutral response, unless an unpleasant response is the intended. This methodology demonstrates a novel and useful way forward to address some of the known variability issues found in f-EMG responses, and responses to avatar realism and uncanniness that can be used to examine gender(sex) perceptions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:24:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5a1ea52ed5334f45841db84c09548798 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-2289 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:24:43Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Big Data and Cognitive Computing |
| spelling | doaj.art-5a1ea52ed5334f45841db84c095487982023-11-23T15:36:27ZengMDPI AGBig Data and Cognitive Computing2504-22892022-05-01626110.3390/bdcc6020061A Novel Method of Exploring the Uncanny Valley in Avatar Gender(Sex) and Realism Using ElectromyographyJacqueline D. Bailey0Karen L. Blackmore1School of Information and Physical Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan 2308, AustraliaSchool of Information and Physical Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan 2308, AustraliaDespite the variety of applications that use avatars (virtual humans), how end-users perceive avatars are not fully understood, and accurately measuring these perceptions remains a challenge. To measure end-user responses more accurately to avatars, this pilot study uses a novel methodology which aims to examine and categorize end-user facial electromyography (f-EMG) responses. These responses (<i>n</i> = 92) can be categorized as pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral using control images sourced from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS). This methodology can also account for variability between participant responses to avatars. The novel methodology taken here can assist in the comparisons of avatars, such as gender(sex)-based differences. To examine these gender(sex) differences, participant responses to an avatar can be categorized as either pleasant, unpleasant, neutral or a combination. Although other factors such as age may unconsciously affect the participant responses, age was not directly considered in this work. This method may allow avatar developers to better understand how end-users objectively perceive an avatar. The recommendation of this methodology is to aim for an avatar that returns a pleasant, neutral, or pleasant-neutral response, unless an unpleasant response is the intended. This methodology demonstrates a novel and useful way forward to address some of the known variability issues found in f-EMG responses, and responses to avatar realism and uncanniness that can be used to examine gender(sex) perceptions.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-2289/6/2/61avatarelectromyographyrealisminternational affective picture system (IAPS)gender(sex) |
| spellingShingle | Jacqueline D. Bailey Karen L. Blackmore A Novel Method of Exploring the Uncanny Valley in Avatar Gender(Sex) and Realism Using Electromyography Big Data and Cognitive Computing avatar electromyography realism international affective picture system (IAPS) gender(sex) |
| title | A Novel Method of Exploring the Uncanny Valley in Avatar Gender(Sex) and Realism Using Electromyography |
| title_full | A Novel Method of Exploring the Uncanny Valley in Avatar Gender(Sex) and Realism Using Electromyography |
| title_fullStr | A Novel Method of Exploring the Uncanny Valley in Avatar Gender(Sex) and Realism Using Electromyography |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Novel Method of Exploring the Uncanny Valley in Avatar Gender(Sex) and Realism Using Electromyography |
| title_short | A Novel Method of Exploring the Uncanny Valley in Avatar Gender(Sex) and Realism Using Electromyography |
| title_sort | novel method of exploring the uncanny valley in avatar gender sex and realism using electromyography |
| topic | avatar electromyography realism international affective picture system (IAPS) gender(sex) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-2289/6/2/61 |
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