「不気味の谷」 “Uncanny Valley” Is Not What You Think It Is
This lecture revisits the origins and meaning of the “uncanny valley” concept, commonly used to describe discomfort toward robots that appear nearly, but not fully, human. Dr. Yulia Frumer will examine what Japanese engineer Mori Masahiro intended when he introduced the idea in the late 1960s, drawing on newly discovered sources, Mori’s wording, and the historical context of his work. The lecture argues that Mori’s central concern was not simply human resemblance, but how engineers might design products that elicit positive responses from users through approaches beyond imitation.
When: Thursday, November 5, 2026
Showtime: 6:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan
Format: Lecture
Presenter: Dr. Yulia Frumer, Professor of East Asian Science and Technology at Johns Hopkins University
About the presenter: Frumer is an associate professor in Johns Hopkins’ Department of the History of Science and Technology. A historian of science and technology in East Asia specializing in Japan, she researches robotics, prosthetics, technology and labor, technology and emotions, time, astronomy, measurement instruments, science fiction, and scientific translation.
Presenter background: Frumer received her Ph.D. from Princeton University and has held visiting appointments at Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study, the University of Tokyo, and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science. Her work has been supported by fellowships from organizations including the National Science Foundation, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Japan Foundation.
Selected work: Her first book, *Making Time* (University of Chicago Press, 2018), examined astronomical time measurement and ideas about time in Tokugawa Japan. In the co-authored book *Animating Action* (University of Hawai‘i Press, 2026), she studies robotic technologies designed to imitate empathy and agency. Her book on the history of Japanese robotics is scheduled for publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press in 2027.
Tickets: Price not available
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