The Future of Avatars Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky Final Project David Green - NPF551 - Interactivity & Networking
Have you ever played a video game and created a character that was a representation of yourself? Have you ever had a persona or character on a web page pass on information to you? If you have, you have shared an encounter with an avatar. An avatar is an icon or figure representing a particular person in computer games, Internet forums, etc. (Downing, 2007). Although avatars are embedded into our daily life today, their impact is still in the beginning stages. The following photo series explores the future of avatars in our society. Before we look into the future, let us examine the present. At this point in time, avatars are far from perfect. The only way to improve them is through research, and trial and error. Various groups of people are working toward bettering avatar interactions but in this series we will focus on two projects, the Semaine project and the ILHAIRE project. Semaine is a project based in Europe, which has created four distinct avatars each with their own unique personality. Prudence is sensible, Spike is aggressive, Poppy is cheerful and Obadiah is pessimistic. Although the four avatars do have noticeable personalities, they are very onedimensional. These avatars are referred to as SAL (Sensitive Interactive Listeners) (Semaine, 2010). Essentially a SAL avatar is able to interact with humans, sustain an interaction for a long period of time, and react to the human s non-verbal behaviour (Semaine, 2010). As the project stands today the SAL avatars are far from reaching their goal. They are able to maintain conversation between 3 to 15 minutes before breaking down, sometimes not even making it past one minute (Semaine, 2010). They are also not able to react to human non-verbal cues and they themselves are strange and awkward. The reason for their awkwardness is because they are in the uncanny valley. They look like humans, talk like humans, and try to act like humans, yet they do it in an artificially notable way, and this makes humans feel incredibly uneasy. This brings us to the next project called ILHAIRE. ILHAIRE is also a European project that works with avatars to advance their interaction capabilities. ILHAIRE is less focused on giving the avatars personalities and more focused on overcoming the uncanny valley. ILHAIRE has found that humans' non-verbal cues which are most often used in conversation are smiling and laughter (ILHAIRE, 2011). In different scenarios a person will use a different smile. For example, if you are asked an embarrassing question, your smile will be different than the smile you show if you are told a funny joke. The purpose of ILHAIRE is to program avatars to smile and laugh as humans do in order to make them seem more natural; ultimately overcoming the uncanny valley (ILHAIRE, 2011). As the project stands today, they are well on their way but still have a ways to go before claiming success. Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 2
Using information collected from the SEMAINE project and the ILHAIRE project, we have predicted a potential outcome of the future of avatars. Further developing these projects, we have created the most advanced versions of avatars. The avatars have been placed in society have an integral role in a human s daily routine. We see these avatars being a familiar face to its users. A simple personality test upon download or purchase would help determine who your new avatar partner would be. This avatar would be connected to you wherever you may go. Whether using your own technology or using someone else s, your avatar would appear whenever you encounter a user interaction through identification recognition. These avatars will be implemented in order for the user to achieve utmost efficiency in the most comfortable way possible. They will make the user s life as easy as it can get. Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 3
Figure 1 - Avatars at Home Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 4
Avatars at Home Smart technology is already being implemented into homes today. Although it is quite expensive and does not fall in the majority of homes as of right now, many have invested in components of this alternative way of assistance, security, and convenience. In the future, we see these avatars acting as a type of housekeeper. We predict that upon arriving home and recognizing your identity, your avatar will disarm security and give you updates on house activity. This could range from missed visitors and mail arrival to intrusion attempts and more. It will have the ability to keep tabs on your house s electricity, hydro, and internet usages and notify the homeowner when needed. Each room will be accompanied by smart surfaces that allow your avatar to notify or assist you when necessary. This is beneficial for a number of reasons. First, it is exceptionally useful for the safety of the home s residents. Apart from their constant surveillance, avatars will be available in any room of the house to call for emergency and/or notify the others in the house if needed. The kitchen will have an avatar interface that assists with cooking, refrigerator stock, appliance control and more, while the bathroom helps with the news and weather updates and runs your shower at the temperature you d like while you complete your morning routine. Bedrooms will welcome each morning and end each night with helpful duties such as opening and closing the blinds. Wake up systems and sleep systems will allow for the best possible rest. Essentially, these avatars will be at the user s service in assuring safety and efficiency in the home. Avatars will be welcoming and helpful, and act as a part of your family. With realistic features and the ability to interact, sympathize, and protect as any human would, the future of avatars will be of great service to homeowners of any age. Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 5
Figure 2 - Avatars in Education Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 6
Avatars in Education We predict that avatars will introduce themselves into the education system. As stated earlier, your chosen avatar will be with you wherever you may go; whether you are at school, participating in an extracurricular activity, or at home working on homework, projects, or assignments. Your avatar will act as a tutor and guide that will aid each student with such attention that no teacher could give. Many students need extra attention when it comes to certain subjects. Teachers that are educating thirty or more students to a class do not always have the ability to spend extra time with struggling students. Many students are discouraged when they forget the lessons taught in class, or just did not understand the way their teacher taught them. Tutoring can be pricey, and not always work for the best. This is where avatars excel. A familiar face that takes the time to reteach each lesson and offers many different strategies of learning. Avatars will always be patient, understanding, and encouraging. If frustration is sensed, the avatar will implement a different approach to the lesson or simply offer a break by playing a game or video that could be related to the lesson. They are fully invested in the success of their user. Avatar interfaces will be available anywhere learning may take place. Avatars will accompany its user when called upon and given many options and styles of learning. Their human-like features will make the user comfortable and unafraid to ask for help, allowing the full potential of students to be achieved. Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 7
Figure 3 - Avatars in Healthcare Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 8
Avatars in Healthcare Emergency services in Canada are quite accommodating and supportive, but because of its availability to everyone, there are often lineups in the clinics and hospitals for things that are sometimes as simple as the common cold. The efficiency of these public services are not as strong as they should be in the present, however the implementation of avatars will change this. When an emergency occurs, your avatar will contact the appropriate services immediately. The avatar will accompany, observe, and listen to collect as much information as possible in a calm and caring manner. Symptoms are recorded and stored and this information will be in communication with emergency representatives. This communication will determine where the user should go; the emergency room, walk in clinic, or drug store. If it is a situation that must be taken to the emergency room, the hospital is notified and in response, the user will receive information on hospital maps and routes to follow once inside. This will allow flow within the public health services and will also waste little to no time in the potential face of danger. If an emergency happens outside of where avatars are situated (i.e. the park, sports complex, parking lot, etc), your avatar will appear at the hospital emergency room entrance. Here it will assess the situation and guide you to the area you need to be in order to get fast and efficient help. Avatars in healthcare will be exceptionally beneficial due to the combination of efficiency and understanding and calm nature. They will be able to take in as much information as a computer while dealing with upset, scared, and potentially suffering patients. Most importantly, they will keep the emergency room from overcrowding, allowing for the real emergencies to get dealt with immediately. Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 9
Figure 4 - Avatars in Transportation Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 10
Avatars in Transportation Transportation is another aspect of society that will benefit from avatars. Now almost all cars are being built with GPS systems that aid drivers with directions. Cars are becoming more and more smart with new features such as voice control and even driving assistance like automatic stops and starts in traffic, self car parking, and more. With the implementation of avatars in the near future, transportation will not only be even more efficient and safe, but also much less lonely. A friendly and familiar face will keep you company and guide you to your final destination when travelling. Your avatar will be there to guide you to your final destination, plan pit stops, play music based on your mood and even read your emails aloud so that work can be done while travelling. Avatars in transportation will also have functions that will keep the vehicle from starting if the driver is impaired in anyway. It will have the ability to contact a public transportation company to help get its user home safe. Public transportation will also feature avatar recognition. Upon entering a public transportation vehicle, your avatar will appear and program where you are planning to go with traffic information, weather information, cost information and more. This will make the most out of transportation in any case. The company of an avatar will not only offer protection and confidence while driving, but will also keep the user updated on important factors in transportation like traffic and safety features that will positively decrease the number of car accidents. Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 11
Conclusion Although there is a ways to go, avatars will be more than just an online representation of someone. In the future, avatars will be friends, helpers, and confidants that will offer the utmost security and safety while allowing you to achieve total efficiency in your everyday tasks. Avatars will be with you wherever you go, understanding human emotion and reacting to that emotion each day. Of course there are endless possibilities with this notion, as well as some dangers. With a technology that goes with you everywhere and also understands you and reacts to your emotions, comes the possibility of falling in love. This could be a serious problem, but before these avatars can be created, precautions must be thought of to prevent problems like these from happening. Ultimately, the future of avatars looks promising and enticing. The thought of having so much extra help to get everyday tasks done is exciting and almost expected at the rate of technology today. The difference is, this technology will have a personality. Avatars will be the helper that you have always dreamed of. Bibliography "An Introduction to A.L.I.C.E., the Alicebot Engine, and AIML." A. L. I. C. E. The Arificial Linguistic Internet Computer Entity. Accessed November 29, 2014. http://www.alicebot.org/about.html. Downing, Keith L. 2007. "Neuroscientific Implications for Situated and Embodied Artificial Intelligence." Connection Science 19 (1): 75-104. doi:10.1080/09540090701192584. http://resolver.scholarsportal.info/resolve/09540091/v19i0001/75_nifsaeai. "Project." Ilhaire Project. Accessed December 5, 2014. http://www.ilhaire.eu/. "Semaine Project." Semaine Project: The Sensitive Agent Project. Accessed December 5, 2014. http://www.semaine-project.eu/. Aurora Cacioppo & Natali Lasky 12