Researchers in Singapore develop a system for remotely petting chickens over the internet.
You walk into your office, where a hollow, chicken-shaped doll sits on a mechanical positioning table close to your computer.
The doll whirs to life as soon as you switch on the system, duplicating the motion of a real chicken in the backyard whose movements are being captured by a webcam.
Fondling the doll translates into touching the real fowl.
Touch sensors attached to the doll convey tactile information to a nearby PC through radio signals. The data is sent over the internet to a remote computer near the chicken; the remote computer triggers tiny vibration motors in a lightweight haptic jacket worn by the fowl.
The chicken feels your touch in the exact same place where the replica was stroked.
"This is the first human-poultry interaction system ever developed," said professor Adrian David Cheok, the leader of the team, who has been developing the technology for nearly two years.
No, not from
The Onion.
You know, if I were to pet an animal, it would not be a chicken.
I guess the cats organized a rebellion against the very idea of little cat-jackets. Also, I can't imagine it would be fun to be in your office and suddenly have a small hollow model of a cat suddenly jump onto your head.
Last night, cows in tutus. This afternoon, chicken therapy. What animal and in what strange situation will appear in Natter next?
I guess the cats organized a rebellion against the very idea of little cat-jackets.
I suspect you'd quickly be bitten by the fauxcat.
billytea! I was hoping the animals-in-strange-situations will bring you out, since it's been forever since I posted with you, and I have no idea how you're doing. So, how are you?
Last night, cows in tutus. This afternoon, chicken therapy. What animal and in what strange situation will appear in Natter next?
I don't know, Nilly. We're all kind of tired of talking politics.
Researchers in Singapore develop a system for remotely petting chickens over the internet.
My God, they're years ahead of us. Writing my congressman, Emmanual Cleaver, to urge an increase in remote poultry technology funding.
