Camera displays the world as seen by different animals

Researchers from the University of Sussex in the UK and George Mason University in the US have created a camera and software system that mimics the vision of different animals.

Describing the technology in PLOS Biology, scientists explain that the camera simultaneously records videos in four colour channels: blue, green, red and UV.

The data is then processed into ‘perceivable units,’ based on existing knowledge about the photoreceptors in different animals’ eyes.

The traditional method for replicating animal vision employs spectrophotometry. It is time consuming, requires specific lighting conditions and cannot capture moving images.

Scientists found that the new method predicted perceived colours with an accuracy of more than 92%.

Senior author, Daniel Hanley, of George Mason University, shared that modern techniques in sensory ecology provide insight on how static scenes might appear to an animal.

“However, animals often make crucial decisions on moving targets. Here, we introduce hardware and software tools for ecologists and filmmakers that can capture and display animal-perceived colours in motion,” he said.