People often say they wish they could understand their pets better. And while we may be a long way from that technology, new camera and software innovations could at least allow people to see the world through the animals’ eyes.
It is invaluable for ecologists and zoologists to be able to see the world in the same way as their subjects, because each animal perceives colors differently, from the entire ultraviolet spectrum to shades of gray.
Previously, a method called spectrophotometry was used to reproduce the colors perceived in the animal kingdom, but it was time-consuming and limited to still images.
However, the new camera system can simultaneously record full-screen video in four color spectra: UV, red, blue and green.
The recorded data is then processed into what the team calls “perceptual units,” creating an accurate video of how the colors are perceived by the animals.
To do this, they use their knowledge of the photoreceptors present in the eyes of various animals.
“We have long been fascinated by how animals see the world. Modern techniques in sensory ecology allow us to infer how static scenes might affect an animal. However, animals often make important decisions about moving targets (e.g., locating food items, evaluating courtship behavior of a potential mate, etc.),” said author Daniel Hanley in a statement released to EurekAlert. “Here, we present hardware and software tools for ecologists and filmmakers to capture and represent colors perceived by animals in motion.”
The new camera system was able to predict perceived colors with an accuracy of over 92 percent, but it is not without limitations.
The system requires manual focusing, which is challenging with fast-moving subjects such as the many insects and small birds.
However, the software is available as open source so that others can further develop it and use it for their own research.
Watch the full video below!
You may not be able to talk to your dog right now, but maybe you can see the world through his eyes!
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