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

Show Video

http://www.media.mit.edu/~benres/rover@home.avi

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

benres@media.mit.edu

http://www.media.mit.edu/~benres

Rover@home poster in MAIN area