The closer human replicas get to the human face the greater the sense of revulsion we feel toward the replica. Or so the theory of the Uncanny Valley, first proposed by Japanese roboticist Masihiro Mori, goes.
Masihiro Mori's original theory proposed that the closer robots got to human beings, the greater our sense of revulsion would be. But it can also be applied to animation.
Inicon's Steve Jobs action figure (Brian Caulfield has the detailed scoop on the new "toy") proves that the concept can apply just as well to toys as it does to animation and robots - at least if the pictured replica above is any indication.
Caulfield calls the action figure "uncannily realistic" which I think is an apt description given the concept.
The real question, though, is will anyone buy a Steve Jobs action figure to begin with? And will those super-fans out there who might drop a hundred bucks in the first place be turned off by the realism?
One thing that always struck me as a little silly about animation that really teetered on the brink of the Uncanny Valley such as Beowulf from Robert Zemeckis is that it's just realistic enough to creep people out, but not realistic enough to fool us.
Here's the Beowulf trailer in case you missed the film.
On the one hand it's kind of extraordinary how realistic they get Angelina Jolie. On the other hand, it's also deeply creepy - something that maybe a film like Beowulf is shooting for to begin with. That the Steve Jobs action figure is also deeply creepy is probably not the intention of Inicons, but it's certainly the end result.
The unauthorized action figure goes on sale next month unless Apple or the Jobs estate can block it. No word yet on whether they'll try.
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