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Why did the chicken cross the lab?
By Gearhead, NetworkWorld.com, 07/12/05
We are, as Dave Barry often says, not making this up. Researchers, possibly with some interesting personal problems, at the Mixed Reality Lab at Nanyang Technical University in Singapore have created a haptic vest for a rooster (no, really) and remote interface for a human (again, would we lie to you?)
The idea is that when you fondle a toy that represents the rooster the pressure and direction of your touch is communicated over a TCP/IP connection to, er, stimulate the rooster. Even more, er, impressively, the rooster's movements are sent back to move the doll that the human fondles.
"Why?" you may be asking. Well, here's the thinking ...
According to the project's Web site:
We propose and describe a novel cybernetics system to use mobile and Internet technology to improve human-to-pet interaction. It can also be used for people who are allergic to touching animals and thus cannot stroke them directly ... The advantage of this system is to bring the sense of physical and emotional presence between man and animal. It thus attempts to recapture our sense of togetherness with our animal friends, just like times gone by on the prairie, village, or jungle. It can be used also for people who are allergic in touching animals and can not fondle them directly. This interaction encompasses both visualization and tactile sensation of real objects.
We're not quite sure what to make of this. It is either a brilliant technological tour de force that breaks new ground in man's understanding of his relationship with the universe and all living things (especially chickens) or we've been given a look inside a well-funded asylum and can see what the wackjobs have been cooking up. Our money is on the latter.
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