People often say they wish they could understand their pets better. And while we might still be a ways away from that technology, new camera and software innovations might at least allow humans to see the world through animals’ eyes.

There is immense value to ecologists and zoologists to be able to see the world in the same way as their study subject, as each animal perceives color differently, from the full ultraviolet spectrum to grayscale.

Previously, a method known as spectrophotometry was used to recreate the colors seen by the animal kingdom, but it was time-consuming and limited to still images.
But the new camera system is able to simultaneously record full motion video in four color spectrums: UV, red, blue, and green.

The recorded the data is then processed into something the team are calling “perceptual units”, creating an accurate video of how the colors are perceived by the animals.

To do this they use their knowledge of the photoreceptors present in the eyes of each different animal.

“We’ve long been fascinated by how animals see the world. Modern techniques in sensory ecology allow us to infer how static scenes might appear to an animal; however, animals often make crucial decisions on moving targets (e.g., detecting food items, evaluating a potential mate’s display, etc.),” author Daniel Hanley said in a statement released toEurekAlert. “Here, we introduce hardware and software tools for ecologists and filmmakers that can capture and display animal-perceived colors in motion.”

The new camera system was able to predict perceived colors with an accuracy of over 92 percent, though it is not without its limitations.

The system requires using manual focus, which is a challenge when dealing with a fast-moving subject, such as the many insects and small birds.

But, the software is available open source, which will allow others to build on and use it for their own research.

Watch the video in full below!

You might not be able to talk to your dog now, but you might be able to see the world through its eyes!

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