Avatar Dreams: Science Fiction Visions of Avatar Technology

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The development of “Avatar” technology—the fusion of human awareness consciousness with remote robotic bodies—offers breathtaking advances in medicine, culture, work, transportation, education and imagination. The Avatar project is designed to drive the exponential innovations needed to make General Purpose Avatars an everyday reality.
The transformational potential of avatars is endless—and who better to illustrate the possibilities than some of the most insightful science fiction writers working in the field today? The collection, edited by New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson and multiple award-winning author Mike Resnick, with scientific editor Dr. Harry Kloor, one of the foremost visionaries in avatar technology, showcases the amazing possibilities of avatars.
In these fourteen stories, you will imagine a group of remote spectators traveling remotely during a rigorous mountain climbing expedition. Or a severely injured athlete able to play his favorite sport vicariously through another body. Or a comatose woman using an avatar to interact with her family and the outside world, even though her body is failing. Or a skilled operative using an avatar on a dangerous search-and-rescue operation. Or medical specialists using avatar bodies to enter hot zones that no vulnerable human can breach.
These provocative journeys written by premiere science fiction authors explore the wondrous possibilities of avatar technology—and they still only scratch the surface. Read these stories and let your own imagination roam!

Foreword, by Harry Doc Kloorvii
Introduction, by Ray Kurzweilxv
KEVIN J. ANDERSON The Next Best Thing to BeingThere
MIKE RESNICK Coach
TINA GOWER The Waiting Room
KEVIN IKENBERRY That Others May Live
ANDREA G.STEWART The Ghost of the Mountain
MARTIN L.SHOEMAKER Action Figures
RON COLLINS Covering the Games
HARRY DOCKLOOR Avatar Syndrome
KAY KENYON The Gathering
OSH VOGT Delivering the Payload
MARINA J.LOSTETTER Stedman Farrah’s IllustriousFall
BRAD R.TORGERSEN Old Dogs, New Tricks
TODD J.MCCAFFREY Little and Small
JODY LYNN NYE In the Heart of the Action