De-computing the pigeon sensorium

Abstract

This paper positions experimental design practice as a way of exploring the creative possibilities of animal-computer interaction (ACI), specifically using the 'de-computation' methodology we have developed. Taking the senses of pigeons as an example of non-human awareness, we draw on existing strategies of experience design and immersive design to illuminate various aspects of how animals see, touch, hear, and move in their interactions with humans. Through an initial design project focusing on urban pigeons, we suggest that open-ended experimentation generates unexpected opportunities for the development of ACI interfaces and systems.