Imagine an online Web service that allows you to build a memorial service for deceased family members that also provides a conversational mode with the deceased person. People that never knew the deceased person (or had little time with him/her) could get to know them long after they've passed away.
We're quickly approaching the point [and may be there already] where technology can provide this capability. On average, we are now capturing more than 800mb's in video, stills, and audio per person (in America), and that will only rise. Storage is not a problem (and won't be). Real time search and response to natural language conversation is also quite possible along with search of images, video, and audio based on subjective terms.
I believe this idea has merit on many levels - initially perhaps as a test ground for smarter, more useful knowledge management systems (for the living). Amazon has begun to index the world of books - what if there was a project to index the deceased? The intersections with genealogy, forensic sciences, history, and culture would be significant, so I would also envision such a concept with an API Web service for seamless integration with other application platforms.
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I had just such an idea where the website would take a persons diaries and recreate an epitaph of them.
If the system was powerful enough and obviously there would be a lot of information for it to mull over it might even in the long term be capable of producing an AI. avatar of the person which would be interactive.
Unfortunately the site would also require a certain amount of RAW MATERIAL to generate a useful representation of the person. We are not yet capable of this technologically. But that wouldn't and shouldn't stop someone from gathering this information now in preperation for a point 20 years from now when a machine might be able to recreate them, their memories, thier personality and likeness.
Would this site be in addition to the flowers, balloons and teddy bears strewn on the nation's highways next to makeshift wooden crosses?I fear the site would need to be able to 'speak' in various languages...including 'dog', 'cat' and pet iguana. I would hate to see my dear grandmother's memorial site come up in a site search along with "Fifi the cocker spaniel" or "My ex-wife, hopefully soon".The cross referencing of folks, with such intimate information as a diary, could open the door to tele-marketers, insurance salesmen or worse...con-men looking to take advantage of dear, old, widowed grandpa. I like the idea of culturally marking the passing of individuals, but perhaps a more generic (see 'census') undertaking may be more reasonable. Save the intimate details for personal websites that won't be a clearing house for evil-doers.
Ironically, when common people used to write letters throughout their life, their thoughts and opinions were recorded for posterity there.
And obviously, people that wrote books were recorded there.
Now, many people write blogs, emails and respond to forums. I think there's better record of my opinions and thoughts here in whynot.net than just about anywhere, because I respond to evaluate many people's ideas. Same with the other every-day responders.
And when I'm dead, these comments will be a 'voice from the grave'.
So your idea is great. But I'm not really sure that my comments will be comforting or reassuring to my mourners. Is that what you're after?