Articles about Avatars
Avatars: Infusing Human Factor in Tech-driven Communication
One of the aspects of human communication is the use of the five senses of perception in gauging the full implication of a situation. There are many subtle aspects to face to face communication. It includes tears, anger, subtle changes in the voice quality, body movements, smell, touch and many others. In the technology driven communication these aspects of communication are usually absent. The use of avatars in communication is an attempt to bring back the human factor into the internet communication.
The terminology avatar has an Indian ring about it as the word is derived from the Sanskrit word which indicates the birth of a deity in different forms. In traditional Hindu thinking the deities take different shapes depending on the situation. In the internet use avatar in the early uses indicates the technique of personalizing communication by the use of an image that is typical or personal to a user. So, you may use an avatar that is unique to you and the reader will instinctively understand that it is you.
However, today the avatars are the range of human emotions that can be communicated by the internet user by using symbols or pictures that the other will understand. In the use of the avatars there is mutually agreed meaning for a symbol. This symbol is chosen from a list to communicate a particular emotion. Some of these avatars are today dynamic that they are able to show expression of various feeling by the facial expressions of the avatar to convey the appropriate emotions. It is indeed an amazing tool and the new generation uses these tools routinely in their communication through the internet that it might be fine expression of their intimate emotions.
There are custom made avatars available in all major communication portals like Skype and Yahoo. Today, avatars are being created to meet the requirements of the great number of internet users. One of the problems encountered by the makers of the avatars is the need to standardize the meaning of the avatar for all people of all cultures. The body language and the use of gestures mean different in different cultures. However, there are certain commonly experienced themes which are the language of the world repertoire of communication strategies that are universally experienced.
Avatars are the attempt of the modern technology to approximate the equivalents of human face to face communication. Sometimes these avatars are also called emoticons. The avatars are likely to be used more and more in communication. However, there is a pitfall in the use of avatars. It is possible to convey through the avatars emotions which are not real. Human expressions in face to face communication are somewhat transparent. Only a clever individual can act emotions. But in the modern tech-driven communication it is possible to convey emotions which are not really felt. It is a choice that the individual should make.
Would you like to convey only emotions which are really felt by you? The ideal thing is to express only what you really feel. This makes us search for more ideal emoticons or avatars that convey the appropriate emotions. It is same as our search for the ideal card that conveys the emotion of a situation. We are ready to go to any length for getting the right card. Similarly, in the fascinating world of avatars the needs of the clients today are satisfied by companies that give you a wide range of avatars so that every feeling has unique symbolic channel that convey what you wish to tell a person who is miles away from you.
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