Using iPads to bridge communication gap with dolphins

http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/06/using-ipads-to-bridge-communication-gap-with-dolphins.ars

by evo_9 • 16 years ago

19 27 16 years ago

RevRal• 16 years ago

>Numerous studies on dolphin language show signs of advanced intelligence, and it is believed that the high-frequency sounds dolphins make underwater are capable of communicating information that is holographic in nature.

Chris Foresman elaborates in the comments: The gist is that scientists are convinced that when one dolphin communicates with another, it is transmitting three-dimensional imagery, as opposed to speaking a "verbal" language as we think of it.

This really reminded me of Grenouille, from the novel Perfume, who could think in "scent sentences." He lived his entire life isolated and frustrated with humanity, since he could not have a two way conversation with anyone in his language of scents.

Strange to think that human communication represents only a small portion of what's possible.

xenophanes8• 16 years ago

> Strange to think that human communication represents only a small portion of what's possible.

But humans can communicate 3d scenes and imagery in words. Perhaps inelegantly. But universal turing machines do lots of things inelegantly and it doesn't really matter. English is universal language (taking into account its ability to define new words), so we're not missing out on anything fundamentally important (and nor are, e.g., the French missing out on anything fundamental by not speaking English: French is universal too).

pavel_lishin• 16 years ago

> English is universal language (taking into account its ability to define new words), so we're not missing out on anything fundamentally important (and nor are, e.g., the French missing out on anything fundamental by not speaking English: French is universal too).

They're universal languages for people; for brains that specifically evolved to swing through trees, pick bugs out of our friends' fur, and to chase down antelopes. It's software that's pretty specific to the hardware.

What if we just don't have enough in common with a critter that evolved in a fully 3D environment with no hands?

illumin83• 16 years ago

I don't think you mean the same thing when you say we can communicate 3d scenes and imagery in words. Humans can describe a 3d scene in words.

Dolphins use such high-pitched and information dense communication that it's highly possible they are communicating raw data that is directly converted into a 3d map or image by the receiving dolphin's brain. Listen to a dolphin's speech, then think of what a 56k modem sounds like... not too far off huh? Now imagine that dolphins could communicate actual 3d maps or sonographic images using sound, rather than just describe them.

jaybol• 16 years ago

I thought this was a headline for The Onion

xenophanes8• 16 years ago

lol. One of those people who thinks dolphins' problems aren't their (lack of) minds but just their different mouths and lack of hands.

> "a complete language interface between humans and dolphins."

Soon enough dolphins will improve on Socrates? Or if they can't understand philosophy -- i.e. much of English is inaccessible to them -- then how exactly will it be complete?

unignorant• 16 years ago

I take your point, but many humans can't understand elements of philosophy. Can we have a "complete language interface" with them?

Complete means different things in different contexts. I don't think the researcher was implying that dolphins might someday understand (or advance) philosophy.

xenophanes8• 16 years ago

Many humans don't understand philosophy is different than being incapable of it -- it's a learned skill. Anyone without brain damage is surely capable.

stcredzero5• 16 years ago

then how exactly will it be complete?

If they can can communicate about Finite State Machine and a couple of stacks...

Batsu• 16 years ago

> Kassewitz searched for nearly two years to find a touchscreen device that dolphins could reliably activate with their rostrum (or beak), while still being powerful enough to record or play back the high frequency sounds associated with dolphin language and durable enough to work in underwater environments.

If someone had faith in this area of research, you'd think they would have been able to find funding for the construction of a specialized device in that time frame.

MWinther• 16 years ago

Isn't it cool that you won't have to anymore, though? The Objective-C requirement for native apps might still be a problem in a lot of places, but other than that, I can see the iPad being a relatively cheap platform that could work well for various kinds of experiments going forward.

stcredzero5• 16 years ago

Only a matter of time before someone comes up with a way to install Linux on it. (There's already someone who's put Android on an iPhone 2G.)

timknauf• 16 years ago

IIRC, the Objective-C (plus C and C++) limitation is only for apps distributed through the App Store. Presumably ad-hoc distribution is just fine for this type of project. :^)

mkramlich2• 16 years ago

I pictured a dolphin starting up the Notepad app, punching in letters with his nose, spelling out, "So long and thanks for all the fish!"

stcredzero5• 16 years ago

Needs another app with an icon that says "Don't Panic"

mkramlich2• 16 years ago

really!

iPad + home screen wallpaper that says, "Don't Panic" = HHGG

startup12• 16 years ago

Awesome!

Using iPads to bridge communication gap with dolphins

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