It’s easy to get frustrated when a horse spooks at something he’s seen literally hundreds of times, but it’s important to remember that equine vision is drastically different from human sight.
As humans, it’s often hard to see things from a perspective other than our own – including the optics of other species. A new tool created by Alan Hook, who works in the School of Communication and Media at Ulster University in Ireland, is designed to raise consciousness about communication between humans and horses. Hook hopes the device will promote awareness, empathy and non-violence for animals that process the world differently than humans.
Hook purchased a mask from Etsy and added two 180-degree, high-definition cameras placed where a horse’s eyes sit on its skull. These cameras allow for a nearly 360-degree field of vision (horses cannot see directly behind them) and remove red from the images being displayed, mimicking a horse’s dichromatic vision.
The mask wearer is often disconcerted by the wide range of vision when they first put on the mask. Hook notes that if the wearer crosses his eyes, he can see forward — sort of.
There are no images available of what a person sees through the headset. Hook says this is intentional to encourage people to try on the headset and experience how a horse sees. A wireless version of the headset should be available in July.
Hook is hopeful that this mask will assist designers in creating goods that are better designed for the species they are working with.
Read more and see the mask at HorseTalk.
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