The Cummings’ don’t picture this happening. Smart farming, though, is a divisive space.Īs we contemplate this seemingly innocuous shift to digital pets, a big question pops up: what becomes of our companion animals? In other words, might we one day completely replace the loyal denizens of our carpets (and sometimes couches, when permitted) with algorithms? These include remote monitoring devices for keeping an eye on livestock health automated dairy installations for milking cows at their convenience and feeding systems for ensuring animals have access to a mix and quantity of food that suits their needs. Then there’s agriculture, where farmers are deploying a broad range of emerging technologies for the sake of animal welfare. This shows that in today’s developed society, exploiting animals for human entertainment is not only unacceptable but also completely avoidable.” “It’s often used in place of live animals during filming, sparing animals the stress of transport to, and the noise and bright lights of, a film set. For those individuals, a virtual animal or a plush toy is absolutely the better choice.”ĭigital Pets, in Elisa’s opinion, are simply the latest innovation to prove we’re coming to understand that animals deserve greater respect. “Having a virtual companion animal is an option for those who are interested in animals but not ready for the very real, lifelong responsibility of bringing a living one into their home. PETA’s Elisa Allen appears to be on the same page. “What if these are like training wheels? What if, before you get a pet, you have to prove you can look after and understand the needs of a virtual animal first?” Lee feels certain that Petaverse Networks’ furry creations can achieve the same, only with greater authenticity. On release in 2005, the game was met with critical acclaim, partly because it helped people prepare for owning live animals - a bit like those creepy robot babies schools give pupils to care for.
Nintendogs, a real-time pet simulation by Nintendo, is an interesting reference. Imagine if digital pets could stand the test of time.” We don’t want another Nintendogs - 24 million people bought it, but no one plays anymore. Pets with the resilience, unlike real animals, to live on no matter what. Susan, who envisions some kind of magical His Dark Materials world of dæmons-dragons, owls, and even unicorns - discloses that she and Lee are thinking long-term. AR tricks the brain, so they offer a close-enough alternative but without downsides like high running costs.” Digital pets offer the same visual and emotional benefits as physical animals, like decreased loneliness and increased mental wellbeing. Speaking over Zoom from their home in Wales, Lee says, “Certain people, for whatever reason, aren’t suited to owning pets, and when they do, it can end badly. Users will have virtual four-legged friends by their side at all times across the metaverse - chilling out at the edge of a browser screen by day, available for interaction through augmented reality (AR) headsets by night. Husband-and-wife duo Susan and Lee Cummings are building something called the Petaverse Network, an open standard for digital pets. In the future, technology could help solve this problem.
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