Robotic squirrel helps decode animal behavior

[Torgo]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/05/05/robotic.squirrel.ap/index.html

   

[Rev. Powell]

From the article:

"Dubbed "Rocky" after the cartoon character, the robo-squirrel is working its way into Hampshire's live-squirrel clique, controlled by researchers several yards away with a laptop computer and binoculars.

Sarah Partan, an assistant professor in animal behavior at Hampshire, hopes that by capturing a close-up view of squirrels in nature, Rocky will help her team decode squirrels' communication techniques, social cues and survival instincts."

I just hope that the squirrels haven't built robots of their own wandering around HUMAN societies, decoding OUR social cues, studying OUR weaknesses...