Throughout the years, we’ve remembered loved ones in a lot of unique ways. We’ve written special epitaphs, worn special jewelry, and so much more. There are hundreds of ways to memorialize those who’ve held a special place in our hearts.

And with the advent of newer and more advanced technology, we’re seeing even more unique options for memorialization. Take a look below at some of the latest high-tech memorials.

Skin Motion Memorial Tattoo

The idea of memorial tattoos has been around since the Civil War, but Skin Motion Memorial Tattoos bring a modern twist. These are tattoos that can talk to you. More specifically, they are tattoos of sound waves that, when scanned with a smartphone, will play back a recording of your loved one’s voice.

AI Memorial Technology

With advancements in artificial intelligence, some researchers are hoping to take our digital footprints — things like our tweets, Facebook Walls, text messages, etc. — and turn them into a digital memorial of ourselves.

One such company is Eternime. The startup’s goal is to preserve our memories, stories, and personalities, and turn them into digital avatars. These avatars can then interact with loved ones long after we’re gone. According to their website, one can become “…virtually immortal. Eternime collects your thoughts, stories and memories, curates them and creates an intelligent avatar that looks like you. This avatar will live forever and allow other people in the future to access your memories.”

“Depending on the facts it has collected, the avatar will be able to offer anything from basic biographical data to being an engaging conversational partner,” Eternime founder Marius Ursache told the BBC in an interview.

Digital Urns

Another company called Fragment is working to update old-fashioned urns. Their project, called Concrete and Light, lets you store a small amount of a loved one’s ashes in an urn that can connect to the internet. The digital urn pairs with an app that shares photos and stories of your loved one, as well as relevant grief resources. The urn itself also is interactive. For example, when a person gets near, the urn senses a person’s presence and will emit soothing lights.

Hereafter Institute Memorial Technology

The Hereafter Institute is a futuristic company that’s dedicated to building unique, high-tech memorials. A few of their latest memorials include video lockets, video art, and virtual reality memorials.

Their video locket builds off the old idea of mourning jewelry, but is, of course, more high-tech. The locket lets you add custom videos of your favorite memories with a loved one. It’s a way to ensure you’ll always have the memory of your loved one at your side.

Another project of the Hereafter Institute takes photos and videos of our loved ones and turns them into a 3D model. Using virtual reality technology, a person can then “visit” with their loved one in a virtual world. While wearing the virtual reality headset, the user will not only see their loved one, but they also will hear audio recordings of them and listen to others recount their favorite memories of the deceased.

What are your thoughts on the new ways technology helps us remember our loved ones? Share with us in the comments below!