Birds of a Feather Video-Flock Together: Design and Evaluation of an Agency-Based Parrot-to-Parrot Video-Calling System for Interspecies Ethical Enrichment

Title of the Paper

Birds of a Feather Video-Flock Together: Design and Evaluation of an Agency-Based Parrot-to-Parrot Video-Calling System for Interspecies Ethical Enrichment

Paper Information

• Subject Area: Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI), Animal Behavior Research, and Ethical Issues
• Keywords: Animal-Computer Interaction, Parrots, Animal Welfare, Internet of Animals, Interspecies Interaction, Video Calling, Enrichment, Birds

Research Background and Problem

• Problems and Challenges:

  • Pet parrots in domestic environments often lack sufficient social stimulation and opportunities for cognitive behavioral development.
  • Captive parrots frequently exhibit high levels of loneliness, cognitive deprivation, and repetitive behaviors (e.g., self-harm, feather plucking).
  • Current enrichment methods for parrots, such as toys, behavioral reinforcement, and medication, have limitations or negative effects and fail to meet parrots' socialization needs with conspecifics.
  • Forced socialization can lead to aggression or over-bonding behaviors; whether parrots can autonomously choose their interaction partners is a complex issue.

• Significance:

  • Social enrichment is a critical pathway to improving the psychological and behavioral well-being of parrots, especially for highly cognitive species.
  • Exploring technological solutions can overcome the limitations of traditional methods and open new technological pathways for animal behavior and interspecies interaction.

• Research Motivation and Related Work:

  • In the fields of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI), previous studies have attempted to improve animals' quality of life and socialization needs through interactive technologies.
  • Related work has explored remote interaction for dogs and "partner selection systems" for primates, but no long-term experiments have investigated parrots using video-calling platforms for conspecific interaction.
  • This study combines "agency" with video technology to explore and validate whether parrots can achieve autonomous interspecies interaction and social enrichment through remote video calling.

Proposed Solution

• Proposed Solution:

  • Design an agency-based video-calling system that allows parrots to initiate calls by ringing a bell and selecting bird photos on a tablet screen.
  • Evaluate parrots' perception of video calls, engagement levels, autonomy during interaction, and the system's impact on their well-being through a two-phase experiment.

• Innovative Aspects:

  • Incorporating "agency" and confirmation behaviors to ensure that birds actively choose their interaction partners, avoiding coercion.
  • Designing long-term experiments in home environments based on ethical norms of animal welfare to comprehensively evaluate parrots in natural living conditions.

• Implementation Steps and Technology:

  1. Phase 1: Training and Initial Contact (Meet-and-Greet):
     • Each parrot learns screen interaction by ringing a bell and clicking on target bird photos.
     • A reward mechanism (food rewards) is used during the initial screen experience, with careful monitoring of fear responses.
  2. Phase 2: Open Video-Calling Period:
     • Parrots are grouped into teams of up to three and allowed to freely choose whether to interact during designated times.
     • Interaction involves a two-step confirmation process (ringing the bell, selecting a photo) to avoid accidental triggers.
     • Video call duration is limited to a maximum of 5 minutes, with monitoring of whether birds voluntarily terminate interactions to assess engagement.
  3. Technical Details:
     • Tablets are used for video calls, equipped with custom bells and tailored interaction environments.
     • High-frame-rate displays and audio systems are used to optimize sensory experiences for the birds.

Research Outcomes

• Specific Outcomes:

  • The study involved 18 pet parrots, with 147 autonomous video call triggers recorded.
  • All parrots used the system, and most demonstrated autonomy and high levels of engagement.
  • Caregivers reported significant behavioral changes, such as improved foraging, flying, relaxation, and interaction skills.

• Advantages and Comparisons:

  • Compared to traditional forced socialization or compensatory social mechanisms, the system's agency-based design provides birds with greater freedom of behavioral choice, avoiding intrusive interactions.
  • Juvenile parrots, in particular, showed significant positive social responses, with some birds even using interactions to showcase toys or exhibit mirroring behaviors (e.g., head bobbing, vocalizing).

• Experimental Evaluation Results:

  • Perception and Interaction: Most parrots demonstrated the ability to perceive the "other bird" on the screen, including visual tracking, vocal responses, and behaviors directed at the disappearing image.
  • Autonomy and Engagement: Parrots frequently triggered calls and showed high engagement levels (86% did not voluntarily abandon calls).
  • Caregiver Feedback: No negative reports were received, and all caregivers believed the project had a positive impact on their parrots' well-being.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • Limitations:
    • Scheduling and synchronization posed a significant burden on caregivers.
    • Technical limitations of video devices (e.g., some birds moved off-screen).
    • Long-term effects and the potential to engage a broader population of parrots require further validation.
  • Future Directions:
    • Grouping same-species/different-species birds to explore interaction differences.
    • Optimizing screen technology (UV spectrum and curved screens).
    • Exploring the feasibility of parrot-human video interactions to mitigate scenarios of prolonged human absence.

Conclusion and Design Implications

• Conclusion:

  • An agency-based video-calling system can effectively empower parrots to engage in remote social interactions, reducing loneliness and improving behavior.
  • The system not only benefits parrots' ecological well-being but also strengthens the bond between caregivers and birds.

• Design Recommendations:

  • Interface design should prioritize birds' control and distance preferences.
  • Tablet devices should enhance visual capture, sound adaptation, and ease of operation.
  • Human assistance is a critical component in ensuring the emotional well-being of animals in camera-based interaction technologies.

This study demonstrates that animals like parrots can benefit from interactions with conspecifics, laying the groundwork for new technological advancements in interspecies connectivity.