Poking the future: When should we expect that animal-robot interaction becomes a routine method in the study of behavior?

Abstract

Animal-Robot Interaction (ARI) is not a novel approach in the study of animal behavior and cognition, but despite the methodological advances it provides, it is not as widespread as one may expect. The use of interactive, autonomous robots can give benefits which go well beyond the opportunities offered by early stimulus models. Such autonomous robots can help collecting data about animal behavior that is not possible achieve with any other methods. We hope that this collection of reviews and research studies may provide a new push to move this field forward.