human beings are n’t the only species who love video games . Orangutans living in incarceration have also been found to revel pinch - screen gambling . The primates — who apportion 97 per centum of their DNA with human race but are about three times potent — have been spiel around on tablets with the help of zookeepers for year . However , most have never been throw tablets for unsupervised gambling , lest they break the devices or hurt themselves . Now , experts at the University of Melbourne are looking into fresh kinds of synergistic picture gaming designed for orangutans , and are even hoping to develop a range of game for the creature to play with zoological garden guests .
Researchers at the University of Melbourne ’s Microsoft Research Centre for Social Natural User Interfaces have teamed up with Zoos Victoria to grow game for orang using Microsoft ’s Kinect 3D sensor ( which is used in the Xbox One play arrangement ) . alternatively of giving orangutang touch - screen pad of paper to toy with , the researchers project image onto the floor of the orangutan ’s inclosure . In a figure - recognition biz call in Zap , for instance , orangutans are given treat when they touch a red point on the wall . But researchers are work on a more advanced computer translation of the plot in which the red dot explodes with twinkle when an orangutan and zoo visitor touch the shapes at the same clock time .
The undertaking is in its former stage , but researcher already have a lot of interesting ideas . In gain to Zap , researchers are working on a game they ’re call “ Orangstagram ” that would let the orangutans take pictures of themselves , expose them , and even search through a photo library to prefer picture they need to depend at . The overarching goal of the synergistic gaming project is to provide intellectual stimulation to orangutans in captivity and give these social beast more chance to engage with each other and with human menagerie patron . But the researchers also hope the games might help zookeepers and fauna psychologists tally up on the emotional health of these animals ( for instance , by analyse which photos the orangutans choose to depend at ) . “ If we design an port they understand they could use it to communicate things about their welfare,”explainsresearcher Marcus Carter .
[ h / tFuturity ]
