Most products made for pets are designed entirely by humans. But what if animals could help design the things they use?
A new project suggests they can.
Researchers worked with a pet parakeet named Shiso to create a wearable perch based on the bird’s own preferences, turning the design process into a true collaboration between a human and an animal.
The project, presented at the ACM Designing Interactive Systems conference, was led by Nanyi Jiang, a doctoral student in information science at Cornell University.
Instead of deciding what Shiso would like, Jiang carefully observed the bird’s behavior and allowed her reactions to guide each step of the design.
Shiso is a ring-necked parakeet with a lively personality. She enjoys sitting on different parts of Jiang’s body, including her shoulder, fingers and even her head. Jiang joked that Shiso sometimes treats her like a tree.
Inspired by these daily interactions, Jiang wanted to create a wearable perch that could turn her hand into a comfortable place for Shiso to stand wherever they went. The result was a soft wearable device called NomadicPerch.
Rather than following a traditional design process, Jiang created a series of simple prototypes and let Shiso decide which ideas were worth keeping. If the bird ignored a feature, it was removed. If she showed interest, the design was developed further.
The first version was a simple wool finger cover. Over time, it evolved into a more stable perch with better grip, a wrist attachment for support and even a small section made specifically for Shiso to chew on.
One surprising lesson came from watching how Shiso played with the prototypes. At first, Jiang worried whenever the bird tore pieces apart. Later, she realized that chewing was actually a sign of excitement and enjoyment.
Instead of seeing the destruction as a problem, Jiang began treating it as valuable feedback. The more enthusiastically Shiso chewed a material, the more likely it was that she liked it.
Safety was also an important part of the design. Loose strings can be dangerous for birds because they may become tangled. To avoid this risk, Jiang used a process called felting, which creates solid fabric without loose threads.
She also experimented with several natural plant fibers, including hemp, nettle, seaweed fiber and flax. Among all the materials tested, flax quickly became Shiso’s favorite, as shown by her enthusiastic chewing.
Jiang even added tiny lights and sensors to monitor where Shiso spent the most time on the perch. In the end, the technology was almost unnecessary because the bird’s behavior clearly revealed what she preferred.
The researchers believe this project shows that animals can play a much bigger role in the design process than simply testing finished products. Many animals naturally build structures in the wild. Birds construct nests, and some species even create large communal homes shared by dozens or even hundreds of birds. These natural abilities suggest animals may have valuable input when creating products made especially for them.
Jiang already has ideas for improving the perch. Since wild ring-necked parakeets often nest inside holes in trees, she hopes to add a small sleeve with a cave-like hiding place where Shiso can explore and rest.
Beyond creating a useful perch, the project strengthened the relationship between Jiang and her feathered companion. Instead of simply feeding and caring for Shiso, they became creative partners working together.
The researchers hope this unusual collaboration encourages designers to think differently about technology for animals.
Rather than designing only for animals, they believe future products could increasingly be designed with them, allowing pets and other animals to help shape the tools and environments they use every day.
