Much of the field’s current research focuses on designing new technology that might help animals. One recent study evaluated the benefit of installing a microphone into a dog’s collar to create a “bite detection algorithm” that may help evaluate when dogs are stressed. Similarly, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab have proposed a modified artificial incubator called TamagoPhone that’s designed to transmit sound between a bird and its eggs—with the hope of increasing both the survival rate of chicks and facilitating a more natural relationship. (Artificial incubators, rather than nests, are often used in farming.)

Another major focus is on designing technological systems to help animals and humans interact. There’s a particular focus on building technologies to help improve communication between guide dogs and their human companions.