Modern user interfaces are taking on a life of their own lately, anthropomorphic animations refer to animations that mimic human movements, such as blinking eyes or nodding heads. It stands in contrast to flashier animation trends, namely the morphing shapes of motion graphics that pervade digital design.

Instead, the power of anthropomorphic animation lies in its subtlety. You may be deep into reading a product description before you notice that the character next to it just brushed her hair out of her eyes. The effect is all the more immersive, as though the design itself is only marginally conscious of its own movements—they way real humans are.