Know how Microsoft Kinect sensor helps orangutans to interact

We're conducting the first phase of our trial of technology for orangutans. So what we're trying to do here is enhance the enrichment that orangutans are provided here at the zoo.

What we've done is we've set up a projector outside of the enclosure, and that projects into the enclosure an interface or a screen which the orangutans can interact with. To enable that, we've got a Microsoft Kinect sensor sitting outside of the enclosure that detects the orangutan's movements through the glass. And we can then tell when an orangutan is touching the interface, and the app can then respond.

We're really excited at how quickly the orangutans have started to interact with this interface. Malu in particular went straight up to the projected screen and touched his mouth so that red dot. Some of them have taken very quickly to a sweeping motion with the back of their hand. Others of them have brought objects over to the interface.

We're expecting the unexpected here. We're already seeing some surprising stuff, and we're sure that in the future, we'll begin to learn more about how the orangutans want to interact with these new technologies that we're providing. And we will respond to that in the way that we design the next iterations.