This story is almost useless without video - which Is why I'm posting it. Can anyone get a video of an Orangutan playing a video game? In any case... Here's the basic story:
In one game, orangutans choose identical photographs or match orangutan sounds with photos of the animals -- correct answers are rewarded with food pellets. Another game lets them draw pictures by moving their hands and other body parts around the screen. Printouts of their masterpieces are on display in the zoo.The computer games, which volunteers from IBM spent nearly 500 hours developing, test the animals' memory, reasoning and learning, spitting out sheets of data for researchers at the zoo and Atlanta's Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, a partner in the project.
By the way, the animals are in the Atlanta Zoo. So head on over and check them out! (and get some video for us!)
Comments
Donkey Kong ?
Posted by: MartinC | April 12, 2007 1:32 PM
Steve,
In video from an Atlanta news station, an orangutan is using a paint program. The display just debuted, so hopefully video showing the orangutans playing a maze game and concentration-type game will come soon: http://www.cbs46.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?ClipID1=1361367&h1=Zoo%20Atlanta%20Orangutans%20are%20Computer%20Savvy&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=145500&LaunchPageAdTag=Video%20Player&activePane=info&playerVersion=1&hostPageUrl=http%3A//www.cbs46.com/Global/category.asp%3FC%3D13816%26nav%3Dmenu140_8&rnd=46900992
Posted by: Pam | April 12, 2007 5:25 PM
I know this ain't an orang playing video game, but it is Kanzi, the bonobo playing Pacman. It may entertain you, Steve, for a second while the search for the orang video commences. I'll keep my eyes out.
Posted by: Kambiz Kamrani | April 12, 2007 7:39 PM
thanks guys! you rock!
Posted by: steve | April 12, 2007 10:16 PM
Great, now they won't get ANYTHING done.
Posted by: Brian | April 12, 2007 11:33 PM
I think I have a video of the culprits in action, here.
Posted by: Kambiz Kamrani
| April 18, 2007 8:13 PM
nice! thanks! too bad I can't embed it in a post :(
Posted by: Steve | April 19, 2007 12:30 PM
500 hours! Which side of the bars are the monkeys on?
Sounds like the zoo got screwed out of a lot of money.
Posted by: Ryan Fox | April 24, 2007 11:07 PM