You can be a little more tired of video meetings at this (hopefully late) stage of the pandemic, but Zoom thinks it could inject some life into them. Companies have introduce the avatar replaces your head with a 3D character that mimics your facial expressions – effectively, that’s Apple’s Animoji for virtual offices and classrooms. There are only animals like cats, dogs, and foxes for now, but Zoom will introduce more avatars in the future.
You’ll need Zoom 5.10.0 or later on iOS, Mac, and Windows devices. The company emphasizes that this does not use facial recognition. The software only looks for the presence of a face, not yours in particular.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the novelty wore off quickly, as it does with Animoji and other digital apps. However, Zoom suggests that avatars can be realistic in some cases. Profile photos allow you to avoid revealing your real face on camera without removing all facial expressions, the company says. This can also be helpful for teachers and pediatricians looking to improve children’s moods. If nothing else, they can provide some much-needed silence in the middle of a dull business conference.
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