Since its first appearance in 2016, the humanoid bot Sophia has become something of a celebrity. Sophia’s android body and face are realistic to the point that some say “she” makes then feel uncomfortable. This uneasiness triggered by hyperrealistic humanoid bots has been dubbed the “uncanny valley” — a concept attributed to Japanese robotics researcher Masahiro Mori and popularized in Jasia Reichardt’s 1978 book Robots: Fact, Fiction, and Prediction.

Empowered by advances in AI and robotics tech, the machines that populate the “uncanny valley” continue to grow in number and — many believe — in creepiness.

For the last year, the flagship magazine and website of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers — IEEE Spectrum — has been cataloging humanoids, drones, exoskeletons, quadrupeds, and other kinds of robots. It’s a fun collection, and like in any other catalog, each robot profile includes photos, videos, curious facts and technical specifications. Based on users’ votes, IEEE Spectrum also compiles rankings of today’s Top Rated, Most Wanted, and Creepiest Robots.

Join Synced as we take a stroll through the uncanny valley and meet the world’s top-three creepiest robots.

Did your heart skip a beat seeing Telenoid, or was it all just a bad dream?

Name: Telenoid

Rank: №1

Country: Japan

Creator：ATR

Year: 2010

Researchers from Osaka University and Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) developed Telenoid as a robotic communications device that users can connect to the robot via the Internet. It can mimic a human’s voice, face and head motions. Something like a cross between a mobile phone and Casper the Friendly Ghost, Telenoid was designed by Hiroshi Ishiguro, and sells for US$8,000, with a research version priced at US$35,000.

By the way, Ishiguro also created his own robotic doppelgänger, Geminoid HI-1, which comes in at №9 in the rankings.