Survey on the Past Decade of Technology in Animal Enrichment: A Scoping Review

Animals (Basel). 2022 Jul 13;12(14):1792. doi: 10.3390/ani12141792.

Abstract

Environmental enrichment is adding complexity to an environment that has a positive impact on a captive animal as a necessity of care. Computing technology is being rapidly weaved throughout the space in both enrichment devices as well as evaluating enrichment outcomes. In this article, we present a scoping review of 102 captive animal enrichment studies and propose a contextual lens for exploring current practices. We discuss the importance of directed growth in species inclusion, transitioning beyond anthro-centric designs, and utilizing shared methodologies.

Keywords: animal welfare; animal–computer interaction; enrichment.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.