Metazoa Ludens: Hampsters & Humans Play Together
Ever had a really fat hamster? I mean the kind that kind of shovelled themself across the bottom of the cage because their legs could hardly touch the ground on either side of their sizeable paunch? There just may be a solution for you and your pudgy pet.
Enter Metazoa Ludens, computer games for hamsters and humans. Pets have the choice of playing or not, thanks to a handy hookup that creates a tunnel from the animal’s home base to the ‘tank’. Drawn by the scent of the treat bait, your furry companion will scamper about the special durable latex surface as the terrain shifts, creating mini-mountains and valleys for it to tackle. Humans control the bait holder via computer, essentially playing a rather silly looking game of tag with their pet. Pets are rewarded with the treat when they manage to enter the bait chamber, and are free to stop ‘playing’ the game at any time.
Pretty neat considering that environmental enrichment and exercise keeps both mind and body active and healthy. I can promote the formation and survival of new neurons in the brain, provide higher levels of physical activity, and form a fun bond between pet and owner. The apparatus, though currently clunky and not exactly something the average hamster owner is going to go for, is a step towards a type of interaction that both parties should find enjoyable.
Check it out:
More info on the project can be found here. I’m just waiting for the model that allows the hamster to control a twenty dollar bill while its human counterpart races around an obstacle course in pursuit of the riches. Now THAT would be amusing.
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POSTED IN: Culture, Simulation
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