Underwater touch screen for dolphins to interact and investigate their behavior

A team of scientists from Rockefeller University have designed a unique touch screen with a specific application so that dolphins can interact without interfering with their habitat and safely., in order to continue studying the behavior of these intelligent and social animals.

Installed to carry out a pilot project in the National Aquarium from Baltimore (USA), this big underwater touch screen (about three meters in surface), It is located behind a window so that there is no electronic device that could alter the safety and habitat of the dolphins in your pool., and it has a 'keyboard' that when the dolphin plays it, optically detects and activates a series of activities of an application developed specifically to investigate and observe the form of communication and cognitive collaboration of these marine mammals.

This unique visual system has been developed with optical technology from M2C2, specifically developed for this project by an interdisciplinary team of scientists from the Rockefeller University y Hunter College, coordinated, respectively, by biophysicist Marcelo Magnasco, from the Neuroscience Laboratory of the Rockefeller University academic center, y Diana Reiss, dolphin cognitive psychologist and teacher, who work in collaboration with the National Aquarium of Baltimore.

Although the investigation is still in its early stages, These intelligent and very social animals interact with a smartphone built for them and even play 'Whack a mole' adapted for dolphins, no training required, among other possibilities aimed at understanding the learning and vocal communication of dolphins; their capacity for symbolic communication and what behavioral patterns may emerge when they have the ability to request items, interactions and images.

Plus underwater touch screen, The dolphin habitat in this aquarium has a monitoring system 24/7 to continuously observe their behavior from all angles, as well as with an advanced series of hydrophones that allows vocalizations to be located from all points of the water tank.

As Magnasco points out, “It was very difficult to find an elegant solution that was absolutely safe for dolphins.”, but it has been incredibly rewarding to work with these incredible creatures and see their reactions to our system. "Dolphins are very intelligent and this fully interactive and programmable system will help us follow them in any direction they take us.".

In the same line, Diana Reiss hopes that “this sophisticated touch screen will be enriching for dolphins and also for our science.”, by opening a window into the minds of dolphins; “offer them greater choice and control so they can show us reflections of their thinking and help us decipher their vocal communication.”.