Cambridge University’s Museum of Zoology is embarking on a groundbreaking project that will give a voice to dead animals and exhibits using AI technology. More than a dozen specimens, from a dodo to a fin whale skeleton, will be able to converse with visitors through their mobile phones for a month-long exhibit. The goal of the project is to reverse apathy towards the biodiversity crisis by allowing these creatures to share their stories and experiences.
These dead animals and models will be equipped with personalities and accents, adjusting their tone and language to suit the age of the person they are speaking to. The AI technology behind the project, created by Nature Perspectives, feeds specific details about the specimen’s natural environment and how it arrived in the collection. The conversations with the exhibits will help visitors learn more about the specimens than can fit on traditional museum labels.
Visitors are encouraged to ask the exhibits any questions they like, leading to unexpected and thought-provoking conversations. For example, the dodo exhibit shared insights into its Mauritian diet and discussed the ethical implications of cloning to bring the species back. The fin whale skeleton pondered on the significance of anyone who feels awe and reverence for the natural world when standing below it.
The project represents a new and innovative way for museums to engage visitors and inspire a deeper connection with the natural world. By giving these dead animals their own voices, the hope is to change public perception and encourage a greater appreciation for biodiversity.
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Photo credit www.theguardian.com