The user can also add knowledge through written texts and other content. Plug-ins will even allow a user to give the avatar information he or she never had, such as expert advice on fly-fishing, Davidson said.

When someone starts to have a conversation with the avatar, the artificial intelligence engine will piece together answers from the provided data and the avatar will deliver those answers like a speaking person. More traditional keepsakes such as photos, videos and documents can also be uploaded and provided to viewers, with narration by the avatar.

One early user of Virtual Eternity, Nick Lioce, said it was ideal for him and his wife to pass on their cultural heritage to their children.

"The setup and training are simple and straightforward. I guess [the only] negative would be that you could spend a lot of time training your intellitar, meaning you really get into the concept of documenting and archiving your family history," Lioce said in an e-mail interview.

An individual membership to Intellitar costs $5.95 per month or $64.95 per year. A family membership, including four intellitars, unlimited storage, and other features, costs $24.95 per month or $274.95 per year. In the next few months, the company plans to add a "family tree" feature for paid members, which will form a tree of family members' avatars displayed in virtual 3D. Other features coming in the next few months include a speech-to-text tool that will allow people to converse with an avatar, using a headset, rather than typing in their questions.