“ Who need a virtual reality headset ? ” “ clucking cluck . ” “ … I ’ll take that as a resounding yes . ”
In recent years , citizenry have depart to take animal welfare very seriously and tardily we are starting to see a change in the way that animals are treated . But what first springs to heed as a feasible theme to improve the life of animals destined for human using up ? Bigger roaming areas ? loose range ? The Matrix ? Wait … What ?
An adjunct prof in design at Iowa State University , Austin Stewart , has released theme for a project list “ Second Livestock ” which involves tricking chickens into think that they are free range , while they are actually moderate within small enclosures . This would be accomplish by strapping practical reality headsets onto farmed Gallus gallus ( stop express mirth ) . These “ Cockulus Rift ” headsets would therefore make the chickens believe that they are in a nicer , less stressful environment ( really , seek to stop express joy ) .

Image Credit : Second stock . Technical rendering of chicken - computer interface .
Is this a big joke ? Well , kind of , but not necessarily a futile one . Stewart create this project to spur people intotalkingabout animal public assistance , and also as a sort ofexperimentto aspect at our relationship with technology , and of course to see how many people would actually believe that research worker signify on doing this . That being said , he toldTechcrunchthat he would be willing to work with anyone who is willing to volunteer their services to make it happen .
“ In my presentations I adjudicate to present the labor with an earnestness that makes the audience question whether or not it ’s real , ” Stewart told journalistLiz Dwyer . “ Most people are on the ‘ this is false ’ side of the fence until I announce that they will be able-bodied to try out the technology behind 2d Livestock in a few minute of arc . It is fairly great to watch the font of the audience at this bit . ”
So- any takers ?