Uncanny valley

Did you hear about it ? The "uncanny valley" phenomenon describes why human-like robots look creepy.
More on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

Videos on youtube:

• Video Games and the Uncanny Valley
  
• The Uncanny Valley

What do you think about it ?
It seems that Aiko has the uncanny valley problem too - according to the comments I read on the net. Technical guys finds such robots interesting but for normal people they look just creepy.

Le, I don't envy you. The more you will try Aiko to look like a real woman the more creepy she will look like for other people. You have a hard job. It's only my opinion but if you really want Aiko to be mass manufactured as a personal robot you maybe should go a bit back - maybe something what would a bit look like a doll than a real woman. (The appearance is extremely important if the robot has to act everyday among people and if someone should buy it.)

Actually I think that (the Chucky effect) would be even more creepy.
If you are talking about a big clown, maybe, but a cute girl or pretty woman at your beck and call would be just fine.
The creepy factor for fembots and boy bots gets more prominent the younger the body looks such as CB2 (Child-Robot with Biomimetic Body) as people automatically think pedophilia.
Creepier still was Repliee R-1 (modeled after a real girl) who is supposed to help seniors get over their loneliness by caring for someone else.
Apparently a puppy dog or cat just doesn't do it anymore.

For example Kokoro's "actroid DER" looks cute but her movements are not perfect enough so the movements make her a bit creepy.

creepy android commercial: http://www.asianoffbeat.com/default.asp?display=1908
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbFFs4DHWys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJZTWwy6eUw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ak3coBKBC0

or Hansons Robotics' "Jules" looks realistic but when he moves he looks like an idiot and the voice is bad too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNKLuXUh3M4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRR33WDFi_k

If I would build a humanoid robot I would aim for the left maximum of the "Uncanny valley" graph - make it not so extra realistic but more pretty and more acceptable by the people.

It's funny the wiki entry uses that example, I was a bit uncomfortable with those characters.
"A Christmas Carol" (3D movie) is also coming out with it's own creepy feel, however it's creepiness is not only the ghosts, but scrooge himself (Jim Carry) who looks just like the illustrations in the book.

It's not just synthoids that give off that vibe, it's the familiar.
From animals in life to pictures in a book.
Anything familiar can be like that, even a celebrity bobble head doll that doesn't even look real.

And talking about uncanny valley...see Kansei robot:
http://www.reuters.com/news/video/videoStory?videoId=55538
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLXGS0J52co