What Happens When Your Dog Uses the Internet | Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas | TED
In her TED talk titled “What Happens When Your Dog Uses the Internet,” Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas explores an innovative intersection of technology and animal behavior. She poses a provocative question: Could we empower our pets to use the internet, just as we do? Many pet owners already utilize technology for monitoring their animals, but Hirskyj-Douglas contemplates a radical shift—what if animals could take control over their own lives and social experiences through technology?
Starting with her own dog, Zack, she shares her journey of developing devices that enable dogs to interact with screens, thereby providing them with options and enrichment. This exploration expands to include zoo animals, like white-faced saki monkeys and parrots, highlighting their need for social interaction and engagement beyond their confinement.
Through a combination of experiments, Hirskyj-Douglas discovers that animals not only enjoy but also benefit from these technologies, exhibiting improved well-being and decreased stress behaviors. The implications are profound: what if connecting our pets digitally could enhance their social lives and emotional health?
This talk invites us to rethink the possibilities of animal technology, suggesting that a simple call may bridge companionship gaps for pets, fostering deeper connections in a world where isolation is all too common.
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Video “What Happens When Your Dog Uses the Internet | Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas | TED” was uploaded on 10/22/2025 to Youtube Channel TED