UCSD’s Comparative Cognition Lab will focus on the use of soundboard-based audio buttons to better understand your pet’s cognitive abilities.
SAN DIEGO — Pet food giant Purina has partnered with the University of California, San Diego to award $200,000 to research into whether animals can better communicate with humans using audio devices, it was announced Wednesday.
The study was conducted in UCSD’s Comparative Cognition Lab and focused on the use of soundboard-based audio buttons to improve our understanding of pet cognitive abilities, perhaps giving our furry friends a “voice.” I plan to guess.
“What I’m most excited about about this research partnership is that our research gives us the opportunity to give pets an actual voice for the first time,” said Annie Valska, lead scientist on Purina’s Pet Behavior team. said.
“Working with the UCSD Comparative Cognition Institute and the thousands of at-home Pet Button users will allow us to explore new ways to better understand the needs and desires of canine consumers.”
Researchers used soundboards with simple words such as “play,” “outside,” “potty,” and “walk,” allowing pets to use the buttons to communicate their needs and desires. We plan to research whether this is possible.
“This research will help us better understand our pets and what they want and need,” said Federico Rossano, founder and director of the Department of Comparative Cognition at the University of California, San Diego. “It has the potential to help people and improve their health and well-being in a variety of ways.” Lab “Remotely conducted citizen science research can be an important tool for studying geographically widespread populations of pets and pet owners.”
For 2022, Purina’s Pet Care Innovation Awards Program has selected San Diego-based pet communications startup FluentPet as its grand prize winner. The company received $10,000 for its mission to “use cognitive science and academic research to facilitate education, learning, and communication for pets and their people.”
Purina is part of Nestlé.
