AI-Powered Device Engages Capuchin Monkeys in Costa Rica with Banana Rewards
Researchers from Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed an AI-powered device called CapuchinAI, designed to study primate cognition in the wild. The device, equipped with facial recognition software, a touchscreen, and a banana dispenser, was placed in Costa Rica's Taboga Forest Reserve. When a monkey interacts with the touchscreen, it receives a banana slice. The study, published in the American Journal of Primatology, observed 16 capuchins interacting with the device, with 10 learning to trigger rewards. This experiment aims to explore primate learning and cognitive abilities in their natural habitat, offering insights into how these animals adapt and learn outside laboratory settings. 
