While this sounds like an idea from the scifi comedy Upload, Somnium Space claims to be close – all it requires is massive amounts of personal data.

It was the idea of Somnium Space CEO Artur Sychov who wanted to work out how his kids could have conversations with the grandfather, who was dying of an aggressive form of cancer.

He created a "Live Forever" mode, a forthcoming feature in Somnium Space that allows people to have their movements and conversations stored as data, then duplicated as an avatar that moves, talks, and sounds just like you -- and can continue to do so long after you have died.

In Sychov's dream, people will be able to talk to their dead loved one whenever they wish.

If you want to see how that turns out have a view of Upload on Netflix.