Creepy robotic heads serenade your wallet from deep inside the uncanny valley

No, it's not the Boyz II Men reunion tour, these are three other singing robots manufactured into a performing trio. The animatronic heads from artist Nathaniel Mellor are part of a $75,000 art piece on sale at Art Basel Miami Beach 2009. The artificial faces are controlled by servos which in turn are controlled by a computer. The uncontrolled fear you'll feel when watching the video is, however, completely natural.

[serialtoon Posted Dec 4th 2009 1:56AM]

It doesnt get any creepier than this.

[geekthree Posted Dec 4th 2009 6:24AM]

@serialtoon

ahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Funniest thing I've seen in ages

[Nerdtalker Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:07AM]

Wow. I can't sleep now.

[msunardi Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:11AM]

@Nerdtalker me too... after seeing your profile pic ;p

[DougieBear Posted Dec 4th 2009 5:15AM]

GOATSEEE!!!

[305BuddyLuv Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:09AM]

@msunardi
Yeah; That profile pic it insane. the video is disturbing.
Looks like someone had to much time on there hands.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:09AM]

A robot walks into a pharmacy. The pharmacist asks him if he'd like anything. The robot replies, "A soul."

[msunardi Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:10AM]

will these kinds of robots EVER be not creepy? I wonder what would make them un-creepy... (or un-undead)

[Gad Get Posted Dec 4th 2009 3:10AM]

@msunardi

Natural movements and some expression would certainly go a long way.

[Pies Posted Dec 4th 2009 7:25AM]

@msunardi I'd say even blinking would go a long way, not to mention focused sight.

[phx Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:11AM]

well great now i gotta find something to do the rest of the night since i wont be sleeping either

[DrEngrish Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:14AM]

uh... wow... those things are creepy as hell.

[Cyberdyne Systems Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:16AM]

read: http://terminator.wikia.com/wiki/Series_800

[B3astofthe3ast Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:19AM]

It's sounds as tho they're saying "freedom" sarcastically, like its not going to exist soon.....O__o

[FreshLeo Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:55AM]

@B3astofthe3ast
do you think the guy who built them made it ironically this way or was that funny mouth moving just easy to make for freedom?

[unibomber51 Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:26AM]

If only I had some facehuggers to cover them up...

[CPhotographer Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:27AM]

:(

[awesomeness Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:30AM]

The second face reminds me of Mr.Jobs.... bwhahahaha... :D

[setulf Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:31AM]

I think if I never saw that again it would be too soon.

[nak Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:36AM]

Soon to be seen in Palm's next Pre commercial

[Freakin Ijit Posted Dec 4th 2009 6:14AM]

Lol!

[philhippo Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:37AM]

Yo Ho Yo Ho a Pirates Life for Me?

[OG Phenix Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:38AM]

I couldn't get the scene from 8 heads in a duffel bag to stop playing through my head. Next time, if they sing Mr. Sandman, I will run for the hills in terror.

[tyler p Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:38AM]

I'm more creeped out by their googly eyes than anything else.

[Jive Turkey Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:39AM]

Worst Boyz II Men joke ever.
Of all time.

[starzman2003 Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:41AM]

Thanks for the nightmares Engadget.

[geekthree Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:47PM]

@starzman2003

It's ok.. the botched commenting system's keeping me up at night too.. :(

[zero1221 Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:47AM]

I'm a little disturbed that I didn't find that disturbing.

However like a another commenter commented, if they sang Mr.Sandman I wouldn't be able to sleep.

[Abimbola Akanwo Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:48AM]

The video is not so much creepy as just ghastly...awful and ghastly...

[edf Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:49AM]

Replace those with the heads of the Three Stooges - then I could go for that. Nuk Nuk Nuk!

[gerrrg Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:50AM]

I'm thinking Blade Runner.

[Faceless Troll Posted Dec 4th 2009 3:09AM]

SUFFER NOT THE ALIEN. PURGE THE UNCLEAN!

[Dreamscape86 Posted Dec 4th 2009 3:17AM]

Get me out of here!

But it's too late, you're in the Uncanny Valley, and there's no getting out.

[rd2madnss Posted Dec 4th 2009 3:32AM]

This is not art. It is garbage.

[mtnDewFTW Posted Dec 4th 2009 5:23AM]

I really hope I never see those in action on the streets.

[KimCheeZZ Posted Dec 4th 2009 5:39AM]

the eyes are fucked uppp

[WeirdHero Posted Dec 4th 2009 5:43AM]

This reminds me of the singing heads in the haunted mansion/phantom manor attractions in the Disney parks.

[magnumpy Posted Dec 4th 2009 5:45AM]

IMO those things are so obviously fake it doesn't even enter into the uncanny valley.

[bakunin Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:41AM]

I think they seem to avoid uncanny valley not by being so fake but by being so imperfect. And I dont mean poor imperfection..

I mean the design gets it right by aiming for the imperfection of beauty, which adds a high level or realism and believability.

Notwithstanding a body, hair, and some key motorized touches, this is a significant improvement in robotic-human realism -- and evidently a solution to uncanny valley.

[monstercameron Posted Dec 4th 2009 6:29AM]

thats so sublime!

[Heliosphan Posted Dec 4th 2009 6:58AM]

I only found them a little creepy, not uncontrollable fear ;-) simply because they still look like rubber masks, albeit very good rubber masks, especially when they wobble around during some gestures.
Try psychologically treating them as rubber masks, the thought they're real faces just vanishes.
I think one aspect that might scare people a lot is the simple fact that its detached from a body, and even detached from a head. As soon as the camera moved round the back to show the meccano (UK name) style construct and the servo motors, the thought they could ever be real people totally vanished.
Also, 75 grand for a collection of computer controlled Servos (I'd bet there's an arduino in there somewhere) and good quality silicone masks? How do I sign up to become an 'artist' making that kind of dough for that effort!?

[Heliosphan Posted Dec 4th 2009 7:00AM]

Oh yeah, and seeing thru the mouth and eye sockets just ruined the effect completely, reinforcing the 'rubber mask' psychology completely.

[Dr Yusuf AlKindi Posted Dec 4th 2009 7:09AM]

THAT is was is passing for art at ART BASEL in Miami? Some rubber masks with some servo motors? Why is something so unsophisticated technologically even on engadget? Oh! Just because it is creepy....
More Japanese Sailor Girl robots; Less five o'clock shadow guys.

[Ghen Posted Dec 4th 2009 7:12AM]

This is stupid. The faces are good looking but that's just normal artistry. The actual robot usage here is akin to early south park animation.

[Tristan88888888 Posted Dec 4th 2009 7:16AM]

wtf did i just watch. that is so far from art its unbelievable.

[yaksplat Posted Dec 4th 2009 7:34AM]

The 'artist' that made these needs to take a trip to disney and see what real animatronics look like. These are just a pathetic attempt.

[EAgle Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:11AM]

What has Science DONE!?!

[Nutsy Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:22AM]

Cant say im impressed. Ive seen much better animatronics come out a good decade ago from Jim Hensons.

[Showbiz Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:44AM]

It almost sounds like they are asking for "Freedom".

Only a matter of time now.

[hbennett Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:57AM]

Blink!!!