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Pet Projects
Benjamin Resner, Graduate Student
Graduate Advisors:
Assistant Professor Bruce Blumberg
Visiting Professor Irene Pepperberg
MIT Media Lab
How Can Computer Technology Improve the Lives of Companion Animals?
Overview
• US Statistics:– 60% household own pets– 65% purchase Xmas gift for dog– Up to $6k / year for “doggie day care”– 30 billion on pet supplies each year– 30% say they are closer to dog than best friend– 10% say they are closer to dog than spouse
• Yet there is no directed academic research how technology can improve the lives of animals
Design Methodology
Design Methodology
• Observe:– What pets do – Physiological & psychological modalities– How pets and owners interact
• Build devices that: – Facilitate & enhance observed behavior– Incorporate innate play pattern– Contain cues for pet to recognize similarity to
source activity
Design Methodology
• Don’t – Take devices designed for humans and put
them in front of an animal– Pursue an idea because it’s “funny” or
“cute”– Lazily anthropomorphize
• Pets are a totally new “demographic”
Project Highlights
• InterPet Explorer
• Rover@home
And many many more: Serial Tracking, CatBatBot, ThinkTank, Tigers in Touch, BirdSitter, PolyGlot computer, RoboWren, Parrot GPS.
InterPet Explorer
• NOT teaching birds how to use the Internet
• Providing birds with an interactive electronic environment
• Preliminary results show birds are using device as intended
Rover@Homeclicker train your dog over the internet
WORK HOME
Work ComputerHome
Computer
Webcam
Feeder
Lonely Dog
Internet
Asymmetrical Interfaces
• Dog gets clicker sound, owner’s voice, food treats
• Human gets visual feedback, symbolic information
• Computer mediates between the two
Rover@Home Challenges
• Bandwidth– Video requires high bandwidth– Toys with sensors provide low-bandwidth info
• Latency– Timing essential to clicker training– Let computer evaluate trick performance– Owner still controls overall direction of training
session
This man is interacting with his dog*
* Using his web-enabled cellphone
Parting Thoughts• Obvious:
– Safety: Seat belt / airbags for pets– Cleanup: rollup pet seat covers
• Ask Yourselves:– Why not treat the dog as a
passenger, not cargo?– How do pets experience cars?– Why do cats hate cars?
• For Example:– Retractable food & water bowls
The End
Ben Resner
http://www.media.mit.edu/~benres
Rover@home poster in MAIN area
