The VIRTUALLY free-range chickens: Researchers develop technology to fool battery birds into thinking they are roaming free in a field
- Display would make chickens appear to be in a large open field
- Features a microphone so they can cluck with their fellow fowl
- Each unit would cost $40,000 - and artist admits they are unlikely ever to be made
Virtual reality promises to change the way we communicate and give us new experiences - and could do the same for livestock, one artist has claimed.
An Iowa assistant professor has created the first virtual reality system for chickens - and said it could allow battery hens to experience life in an open field.
The concept uses a specially developed headset to show chickens a virtual world from withing their cages - and even features a microphone so they can cluck with their fellow fowl.
Scroll down for video
The special headset transports chickens to a virtual field with waving grass, a few trees, and some artificial intelligence chickens wandering around. The artist behind the project says he hope it provokes debate of animal cruelty - and how humans are increasingly existing in virtual worlds
HOW IT WORKS
The special headset is based on current virtual reality systems, but adaped for the chicken's eyesight.
Chickens have a fourth cone in their eye, so they actually see in the ultraviolet range
Sensors attached to the chickens allow them to move in the virtual world can also send alert emails to producers if the activity level of an individual bird is substandard; allowing for a rapid response and improved loss prevention.
The chicken walk on a 'ball' to simulate moving around.
Each animal enclosure has independent air filtration to keep communicable diseases and parasites to a minimum reducing the need for veterinary costs and the need to feed antibiotics to an entire population of chickens.
Austin Stewart told MailOnline he got the idea while sitting in a lecture.
'I was sitting in a lecture with Michael Mercil, and he does a lot of work dealing with farmers relationships to animals.
'Afterwards he was asked about animal rights, and he said free range life is inherently dangerous - as animals have more stresses.
'I immediately thought they might be a way to combine the two - and then second livestock was born.'
Stewart created the concept, even working with current virtual reality systems to find out how they would need to be adapted for chickens.
'I did a lot of work to get the technology right, and it's absolutely plausible in terms of technology.'
Of of the biggest changes needed was to the screen with inside the display.
'Chickens have a fourth cone in their eye, so they actually see in the ultraviolet range, so we would need to build a new type of LCD - but its possible.'
Hundreds of chickens in large warehouses could wear the headsets, and even inhabit the same space and hear and see each other
However, he admits the cost would be high.
'Realistically its way too expensive - it's in the ballpark of $40-50,000 per chicken.
'However, the economies of scale mean that in the future this could become possible.'
Stewart said the experiment was designed to provoke debate.
'It is possible - whether its worthwhile or even a good idea.
'This is about encouraging debate.
'I'm an artist, and the goal is to take these issues and presenting it in a form that is easy to consume.'
He also said reaction to the gadget has been mixed.
With a wall TV display, an Oculus Rift headset, and yoga ball trackpad, the Iowa State University assistant professor has also created a system to allows humans to experience life as a chicken
'Some people get really angry, there's a really great range of feedback.
'I even built system using Oculus rift so people can go into chicken world an walk around like a chicken.
'People can wander around, there is a barn and I gave people a foot pedal so people can jump.'
Stewart now plans to take the plan and Oculus rift to agricultural shows.
'I'm hoping people will think more about the way chickens are treated - and in fact the way we treat ourselves.
'We live inside these little boxes that aren't inside our natural range, so the conversations apple to humans ans how we are replacing.'
The chickens would be placed on a special ball that allows them to walk around the virtual world
'chicken world' features open fields, a barn and other chickens which have artificial intelligence to act like a real bird
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
We are no longer accepting comments on this article.