A team of scientists had fun demonstrating the interest of parrots, particularly intelligent birds, for mobile applications. Their study examined how tablet games could help better understand the intelligence, preferences and behavior of parrots of different species, while opening new avenues for designing animal-friendly technology.
Through their study, called No More Angry Birds, researchers from Northeastern University in the United States looked at the tactile interactions between parrots and tablets, shedding light on their unique behavior and their ability to interact with modern technology.
Equipped with advanced cognitive abilities, parrots are animals perfectly suited to manipulating touch screens, using their… tongue. The study, which only focused on around twenty birds, recorded all their tactile interactions, the parrots being regularly rewarded with treats when they achieved their goals. The aim of the game was to have them press colored discs appearing on the screen and the majority of them were very receptive.
Unsurprisingly, parrots are less fast and precise than humans, but it was found that they did not tap with their tongues randomly and were actually playing the game. Most also touched repeatedly, at high speed, the same target. Finally, birds are also less concentrated than humans. They tend to touch and then immediately retreat, as if it were over.
Ultimately, it appears from this study that pet parrots benefit from an unsuspected form of entertainment with games on touch screens. In absolute terms, the development of software specially designed for them could help to stimulate them more in their daily lives.
