Zainab Aliu How Science Works
21419285
New Zealand parrots are trained to use a touchscreen- but can they
differentiate between physical and virtual world?
This paper describes an experiment carried out with parrots to see how smart
they are.
Three scientists from a university in New Zealand wondered if parrots could tell
the difference between the real world and virtual world as the parrots are known
for roaming about in traffic and stealing luggage from tourists. Parrots are
considered smart due to their being able to communicate with humans and
human sources.
So, for the scientists to find out if the parrots can distinguish between the real
world and virtual worlds, they carried out an experiment with the parrots. They
trained the parrots how to use a touch screen and how to make objects on the
computer screen using their tongues.
Figure 1 shows the parrot being trained in how to use the touch screen.
2021. [image] Available at: <https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article25098376.ece/ALTERNATES/
s615b/0_New-Zealand-parrots-trained-to-use-touchscreens.jpg> [Accessed 19 October 2021].
Later, they analyzed the birds to see if they would be able to understand and play
a game using a ball, a table and two boxes. They named the tables in order and
put the ball on a table. They let the ball fall on either side of the table into the
boxes. Then they let the birds decide which of the boxes the ball fell into. The
birds picked the right box which means that they understood what they were
21419285
New Zealand parrots are trained to use a touchscreen- but can they
differentiate between physical and virtual world?
This paper describes an experiment carried out with parrots to see how smart
they are.
Three scientists from a university in New Zealand wondered if parrots could tell
the difference between the real world and virtual world as the parrots are known
for roaming about in traffic and stealing luggage from tourists. Parrots are
considered smart due to their being able to communicate with humans and
human sources.
So, for the scientists to find out if the parrots can distinguish between the real
world and virtual worlds, they carried out an experiment with the parrots. They
trained the parrots how to use a touch screen and how to make objects on the
computer screen using their tongues.
Figure 1 shows the parrot being trained in how to use the touch screen.
2021. [image] Available at: <https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article25098376.ece/ALTERNATES/
s615b/0_New-Zealand-parrots-trained-to-use-touchscreens.jpg> [Accessed 19 October 2021].
Later, they analyzed the birds to see if they would be able to understand and play
a game using a ball, a table and two boxes. They named the tables in order and
put the ball on a table. They let the ball fall on either side of the table into the
boxes. Then they let the birds decide which of the boxes the ball fell into. The
birds picked the right box which means that they understood what they were
