This thesis examines visionary directors David Lynch and Panos Cosmatos aesthetics in the films Inland Empire and Beyond the Black Rainbow. Two films with surrealistic aspects that are using a form of degraded aesthetics to achieve a certain kind of cinematography that is rarely seen in the industry. We examine what tools are being used to achieve the effect with theories concerning defamiliarization, the uncanny and uncanny valley. Aspects of cinematography in these films are working together to create effects that are both defamiliarized and uncanny.

Essa pesquisa possui como principal objetivo o estudo dos personagens de marca à luz da teoria do Vale da Estranheza, tendo em vista que personagens considerados estranhos podem influenciar a recepção (SPADONI, 2000; TINWELL, 2014). Desde a publicação seminal de Masahiro Mori em 1970, autor que propôs que robôs muito parecidos com seres humanos evocam uma reação aversiva (MORI; MACDORMAN; KAGEKI, 2012), foi demonstrado que essa reação ocorre sempre que um estímulo não pode ser categorizado como não-humano ou humano (SAYGIN et al., 2012). As implicações sobre as apropriações teóricas dessa abordagem pelo campo da comunicação são exploradas no decorrer dos dois primeiros capítulos. Para mensurar o efeito da estranheza sobre a atitude, foram utilizadas duas escalas: uma escala criada por Ho e MacDorman (2010; 2016) para mensurar a estranheza, e uma escala de atitude criada por Martin et al. (2004). Um total de 396 pessoas responderam a pesquisa online, predominando mulheres (60%), pessoas do Estado de São Paulo (58%), com Ensino Superior Completo ou mais (80%) e média de 29 anos. Foram utilizados os procedimentos de validação de escala para adaptar a escala da estranheza ao contexto brasileiro (DEVELLIS, 2003). Os resultados sugerem a existência de um modelo de estranheza bifatorial com 4 fatores. Contudo, o modelo de segunda ordem com a variável dependente não passou no teste de ajuste exato e aproximado do modelo. Entende-se que essa pesquisa faz contribuições relevantes às Ciências da Comunicação por lançar mão de uma teoria complementar às pesquisas do campo, e de uma metodologia pouco utilizada pelas pesquisas da área. / This research have as a main objective the study of brand characters in light of Uncanny Valley theory, regarding that brand characters that are considered eerie can influence reception (SPADONI, 2000; TINWELL, 2014). Since Masahiro Mori seminal article, in 1970, when the author propose that characaters who appear almost, but not exactly, like real human beings elicit feelings of eeriness and revulsion among some observers, has been show that this reaction occurs always when an stimuli cannot be categorized as human or non-human (SAYGIN et al., 2012). The theoretical implication of this approach by Communication Studies are explored in Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. To measure the uncanny effect toward attitude, two scales has been used: one developed by Ho and MacDorman (2010; 2016) to measure the uncanny, and second to measure attitude developed proposed by Martin et al. (2004). 396 participantes were recruited and answered the online survey, prevailling women (60%), people from São Paulo State (58%), people with Graduate Degree (80%) and an average of 29 years old. Procedures for scale validation has been used to adapt the Uncanny Valley scale to brazilian contexto (DEVELLIS, 2003). The results suggest that the existence of an bifactorial model of Uncanny with 4 factors. However, the second order model with an dependent variable cannot be accepted by statistical índices of exact and approximation test. It is understood that this research makes relevant contributions to the Communication Sciences by using a theory complementary to the field, also by using a methodology that has not been used by other researchs of the area.

This study has examined what in virtual characters movement invokes negative sensations associated with the Uncanny Valley. This was done through a study involving semi-structured interviews, open-ended surveys and eye tracking during which the 10 participants observed gameplay and dialogue clips from three different games. A literature review was performed regarding the topics of Game User Experience, Immersion, Animation, Motion capture, Uncanny Valley and Body language studies. The results of the study indicate that it is possible for participants to identify what details in virtual characters’ movements induce these negative sensations to them, which strengthen previous research of the topic. The results of this study did not show a great deal of variation between the participants yet showed a unique set of motivations and examples about what influenced their perception. However, with such a small sample, the results can only be applied to this study and merely provide the groundwork for future studies of the topic. However, it does provide more detailed information about the uncanny valley that can help game developers to make informed decisions when choosing to work with realistic animation

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This thesis investigates the use of virtual avatar heads to enhance local video see-through collaboration in a mixed reality environment. When users engage with each other using a head-mounted display, the device sits atop their head and obstructs their view, concealing their gaze and facial expressions while collaborating. This makes communication harder by removing non-verbal hints. The proposed solution aims to restore them by rendering virtual avatar heads on top of users heads. The study examines the impact of different avatar styles, including the potential effects of the uncanny valley, as well as the use of lip syncing versus facial tracking to animate avatar mouths. An application was developed using Unity3D to implement this solution, allowing two users to collaborate in a mixed reality environment with avatars on their heads. An experiment was conducted with 56 participants, where users collaborated in two tasks: the twenty question game and a collaborative object placement task. A between-subject design was used to compare with and without avatars, avatar rendering type and avatar lip animation. During the experiment, social presence, user experience and performance were measured through questionnaires (Networked Minds of social presence, NASA TLX and User Experience Questionnaire) and eye gaze data. The study found that although there was not always a strong difference between no avatar and avatars, the use of cartoon avatars with lip syncing was the most favorable option, enhancing the user’s comfort and facilitating interpretation of their partner’s emotions and feelings, as well as receiving more attention from them, which could be due to the Uncanny Valley. However, no evidence of performance improvement was found. The findings of this study have important implications for the design of collaborative mixed reality environments, highlighting the potential benefits of using virtual avatars to enhance communication and social presence. The study also underscores the importance of avatar style and facial animation as well as the potential impact of the uncanny valley on user experience. / Denna avhandling undersöker användningen av virtuella avatarhuvuden för att förbättra lokalt samarbete med genomskinlig video i en mixed reality-miljö. När användare interagerar med varandra med hjälp av en huvudmonterad display sitter enheten ovanpå huvudet och skymmer sikten, döljer blicken och ansiktsuttrycken medan de samarbetar. Detta försvårar kommunikationen genom att ta bort icke-verbala ledtrådar. Den föreslagna lösningen syftar till att återställa dem genom att rendera virtuella avatarhuvuden ovanpå användarnas huvuden. Studien undersöker effekterna av olika avatarstilar, inklusive de potentiella effekterna av uncanny valley, samt användningen av läppsynkronisering kontra ansiktsspårning för att animera avatarernas munnar. En applikation utvecklades med Unity3D för att implementera denna lösning, så att två användare kan samarbeta i en mixed reality-miljö med avatarer på sina huvuden. Ett experiment genomfördes med 56 deltagare, där användarna samarbetade i två uppgifter: spelet med tjugo frågor och en samarbetsuppgift för objektplacering. En mellanobjektsdesign användes för att jämföra med och utan avatarer, avatarens renderingstyp och avatarens läppanimering. Under experimentet mättes social närvaro, användarupplevelse och prestanda med hjälp av frågeformulär (Networked Minds of social presence, NASA TLX och User Experience Questionnaire) och ögonstyrningsdata. Studien visade att även om det inte alltid fanns en stark skillnad mellan ingen avatar och avatarer, var användningen av tecknade avatarer med läppsynkronisering det mest fördelaktiga alternativet, vilket förbättrade användarens komfort och underlättade tolkningen av deras partners känslor och sinnestämming, samt fick mer uppmärksamhet från dem, vilket kan bero på Uncanny Valley. Det fanns dock inga bevis för att prestandan förbättrades. Resultaten av denna studie har viktiga konsekvenser för utformningen av kollaborativa mixed reality-miljöer och belyser de potentiella fördelarna med att använda virtuella avatarer för att förbättra kommunikationen och den sociala närvaron. Studien understryker också vikten av avatarstil och ansiktsanimering samt den potentiella inverkan av uncanny valley på användarupplevelsen.

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This thesis explores the use of reinforcement learning within the Unity ML Agents framework to simulate zombie-like movements in humanoid ragdolls. The generated locomotion aims to embrace the Uncanny Valley phenomenon, partly through the way it walks, but also through limb disablement. Additionally, the paper strives to test the effectiveness of reinforcement learning as a valuable tool for generative adaptive locomotion. The research implements reward functions and addresses technical challenges. It lays a focus on adaptability through the limb disablement system. A user study comparing the reinforcement learning agent to Mixamo animations evaluates the effectiveness of simulating zombie-like movements as well as if the Uncanny Valley phenomenon was achieved. Results show that while the reinforcement learning agent may lack believability and uncanniness when compared to the Mixamo animation, it features a level of adaptability that is worth expanding upon. Given the inconclusive results, there is room for further research on the topic to achieve the Uncanny Valley effect and enhance zombie-like locomotion with reinforcement learning.

Using the literary device of a fictional interview between the artist and a sympathetic intellectual, I explore concepts relating to subjectivity, pedagogy, memory, “Southernness,” whiteness, the deceptive nature of images, social justice, and 20th century art as they relate to a contemporary artistic practice.