Netflix and Spotify Access for Zoo Animals Explored by University of Glasgow

Specialists at the University of Glasgow explore the use of technology to give zoo animals their own versions of Spotify and Netflix.

14:12 20 June 2022

Scientists at the University of Glasgow have developed a media player specifically designed for primates like gorillas, chimps and orangutans. The "monkey media player" allows primates to access sounds and videos using interactive, computer-based systems. 

 

The study, which involves a group of three white-faced saki monkeys at Korkeasaari Zoo in Finland, aims to determine how primates respond to audio and visual stimuli. 

 

Dr Hirskyj-Douglas, of the University of Glasgow’s School of Computing Science, said: “We’ve been working with Korkeasaari Zoo for several years now to learn more about how white-faced sakis might benefit from computer systems designed specifically for them.

 

“Previously, we have explored how they interacted with video content and audio content, but this is the first time we’ve given the option to choose between the two.

 

“Our findings raise a number of questions which are worthy of further study to help us build effective interactive enrichment systems.

 

“Further study could help us determine whether the short interactions were simply part of their typical behaviour, or reflective of their level of interest in the system.

 

“Similarly, their varying levels of interaction over time could be reflective of how engaging they found the content, or simply that they were becoming habituated to the tunnel’s presence in their enclosure. While they chose audio more regularly than video, the results weren’t statistically significant enough for us to know for sure what they prefer.”