TelMeA-Expressive avatars in asynchronous communications

TelMeA is an asynchronous online community system that uses avatars to enact the messages of the users. We present an overview of the system, including the results of a usability study and its effect on the redesign of the system. Furthermore we present an empirical evaluation of the avatar's animations. The animations offer a wide repertoire of expressions along the valence dimension, but additional animations with low arousal should be added. Next we performed a case study of TelMeA in Japan. The members of the community more often used the high arousal and extreme valence animations, but the more subtle animations were still used in 30% of all cases. The less frequent use of subtle expressions could be explained by the fact they are not necessary in an asynchronous communication to negotiate turn taking.