An avatar refers to the incarnation of a divine being descending to lower realms for special purposes. In Hinduism, avatars refer to incarnations of Vishnu, whom many Hindus worship as God. Technological avatars allow people to inhabit and govern virtual spaces through embodied representations. Current virtual avatars shift experiences from representation to experience-based, enabling simultaneous participation across space and time through emerging simulation and synthetic media.

1. Avatars?

2. What does Wikipedia say? Avatar (also spelled as avatara) (Sanskrit: अवतार , avatāra), most commonly refers to the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of a divine being (deva) (...). The Sanskrit word avatāra- literally means "descent" (avatarati) and usually implies a deliberate descent into lower realms of existence for special purposes. The term is used primarily in Hinduism, for incarnations of Vishnu whom many Hindus worship as God.

3. Vishnu Vishnu: the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of and beyond the past, present and future , the creator and destroyer of all existences, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within.

6. ICT

8. Gaming Media Adaptation of presentation model to a dynamic model - Synchronous communication : Building of live community of play - Asynchronous communication: pre-scripted narratives - People co-create experiences - relationship exists in the moment Emergence of presence: users have a virtual body

9. Social Media - Connect individuals: with past and existing physical relationships Exchange of information with each other. I.e. facebook , delicious - Agregation of interest : Community of interest: pro-sumer, viewser - Non institutionally funded construction of cultural narratives which impact real life activities : I.e. Copy Right law - Asynchronous communication: no simultaneous co-presence - Technological Self emerges which is represented within a - Cartesian mind-body relationship: Representation of intellectual processes (Shinkle, 2007)

10. Simulation Media MOO and MUDs= Multi-Object Orientation and multi-user role-playing environments. - Synchronous communication : Building of live community of practice - People share experiences and content - Co-create of narratives, meaning and culture (performances, interactions, etc) - relationship exists in the moment Avatar : users have a virtual body that exits within a place - Actualization of Technological identity, with real life connections

12. Human and machine avatars In common: Move away from semiotic image reading towards an affective (sensorial and emotional based) reading - Narratives are not created by pre-produced messages * in real time: move from sequential to parallel time * Embodied representation: body reunited with the mind * I n a space : community * C o-created by participants

13. Redefining Interface

14. Multiple Environments

15. Multiple Media

16. Multiple Types of Interactions

17. Hybrid Interfaces

18. Quality of Interface varies Presentation Author‏ Rules of semiotic system none Learning language of the piece Social Shift toward users Rules of social system Mind (normative com) Learning social/ cultural conventions Interface Control Parameters Feedback Repeatability Simulation -Gaming Between users All Mind-body functional+ normative+ Interpersonal All Synthetic Between Machines All Cybernetic communication ??? Behaviorial Shift toward users Rules of mechanical system Body (functional com) Learning language of behaviours

19. Type of Interaction varies Presentation none none (broadcast) 1 way none none none none Social H-M, H-H H-M n ways yes yes no yes Interaction Functional Intentional Communication Functional Normative Interpersonal Interactive Simulation H-M, H-H n ways yes yes yes yes Synthetic M-M n ways yes ??? ??? yes Behaviorial H-M H-M 2 ways yes no no no

20. Interactive Communication= Social Interactions Classic Formal Institutional Top-Down Isolated-Passive 1 way Institutional Personal Marketing Network Formal Communities of Practice Social Communities N ways Professional Communities of practice Experiential Communities Informal Personal Networks Social Networks N ways Informal communities of practice Word of Mouth Based on different definition of individuals and economy Model Hierarchy Individual Com Social Network Marketing

21. Singularity

22. Singularity: What does it mean? For most: Shift in the direction of our civilization Collective Intelligence: Group Learning Connective Intelligence: Individuals within groups Intelligent collective: Ai ? Human Collective ? Transhuman future (uploaded consciousnesses)? Posthuman future (symbiosis of human and artificial intelligence)? end of civilization ? Birth of electronic Collective Unconsciousness: mcKenna ? Gods?