Robotic Animals Decode Animal "Talk" and Behavior

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

06 May 2008 05:21 PM

One of the latest bits of information about technology and science concerns robotic animals that are being used to help decode animal "talk" and animal behavior. Scientists are building all sorts of robotic animals from squirrels to slugs and using them to interact with real animals in the hopes of gaining new information about animal behavior. Other robotic animals (and insects) currently being used include lizards, parrots and roaches.

The robotic animals range from just hidden speakers that are controlled remotely by computers to full-on animated animals, complete with gestures and sounds. Scientists set these robotic animals up near real animals and then remotely put them through their paces in an effort to get the real animals to react and respond. A robotic squirrel, for example, may make the screeching noises and exhibit the tail shakes that usually indicate that danger is near. If the real squirrels respond, such as by mimicry or by fleeing to safety in a tree, then the scientists know that they have some sort of conversation going.

The robotic animals are constantly being tweaked and refined. Sometimes a small change in a pattern or sound can mean the difference between a friendly greeting and an insult in the animal world. The bigger and more complicates an animal is, the harder it is to fool with a robotic animal.

Those involved in this sort of research say that there is a lot more to be learned in the field than in the lab and that robotic animals makes this study possible.

Researchers can see a future in which robotic humans help us learn about ourselves and the inherent responses and instinctive behavior that is part of humans. We may not be aware of all of the body postures, signals and behaviors that we use every day in the world. For example, female humans tend to bare their necks to males that they find attractive in a sort of signal that they are open to a sexual encounter. But how many women are actually aware that they may be exhibiting this behavior?

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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