Avatars in Teams
Do you inwardly (or outwardly) groan at the thought of yet another video call? One way to make your Teams meetings more enjoyable and productive is by using avatars. Microsoft is introducing Metaverse-style avatars, called Mesh avatars, to Teams. Let’s take a look at how they can help you out.
Good news: These avatars will allow you to represent yourself in a 3D avatar, so you can actually see and interact with others in a more fun and realistic way. Teams is already planning to integrate these avatars into its existing meeting platform, so you’ll be able to use them for both one-on-one calls and group calls. You can design your own avatar, personalizing its appearance, accessories, and even choosing its reaction gestures. According to Microsoft, this can help reduce stress and fatigue after spending a long time on camera. And since they’re based on blockchain technology, they’ll be secure and private as well.
Big tech is investing billions on developing the Metaverse – a 3D virtual world that mimics the real world. Within it you’ll find many of the things you’re already familiar with – shops, workplaces, and even social spaces. Some are predicting it will become ‘the new internet’ in the coming years. The Avatars app is a small but important part of this larger trend. It’s an efficient and fun way to communicate online, and it has the potential to change the way we interact with each other in the digital world.
It’s hard to believe that only 20 years ago, people were struggling to imagine making mobile video calls with someone on the other side of the world. Things have changed so much in such a short amount of time, and it’s really exciting to think about what the future holds. Right now Microsoft Teams’ new avatar feature is only available in its preview build, but we should be getting a general release date soon. In the meantime, why not start thinking about how you would encourage your people to use personalized avatars in Teams? If you’re looking for more ways to make work more fun for your team, get in touch with us. Our experts would be more than happy to help you out.