The era where artificial intelligence (AI) decodes animal emotions has arrived. The team at the University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol and the Scottish Rural College (SRUC) has developed an innovative AI system called ‘Intellipig’ that analyzes pig facial expressions in real-time to understand their emotional states.
In traditional livestock farming, animal health and welfare largely depended on the farmer’s experience and visual observation. However, as the scale of farming grows and the number of animals that need to be managed increases, closely observing each animal’s emotions becomes practically impossible. Intellipig uses AI facial recognition technology to read pigs’ emotions and provides immediate warnings if any abnormal signs are detected.
Once implemented, this system will allow farms to manage animal welfare more systematically and provide consumers with products produced using ethical livestock methods.
The core technology of Intellipig involves AI-based facial recognition and emotion analysis. Researchers captured 3D and 2D images of breeding sows in various environments, provoked the emotions that pigs feel, and trained the AI system on these images.
Capturing subtle facial changes displayed by pigs was the most crucial stage in this process. As a result of the research, Intellipig not only successfully identifies individual pigs with 97% accuracy but also analyzes different emotional states such as pain, stress, and comfort in real-time.
Compared to previous methods, AI can detect pig emotions with much higher precision. This is because AI can analyze and accumulate even the minute facial changes that are difficult for the human eye to perceive.
Intellipig is an automated animal welfare system that replaces traditional passive monitoring methods. When a pig approaches the feeding area, the camera automatically captures the face, and AI analyzes the emotional state within seconds. If any signs of discomfort or accumulated stress are detected, an immediate warning is sent to the farmer.
This system can enhance farm efficiency while improving animal welfare. It is expected to enable more systematic and ethical livestock practices, even in large-scale breeding environments, by allowing real-time monitoring of individual pig states.
Particularly, as consumer perceptions change, AI systems like Intellipig could create new market value. According to research findings, consumers are willing to pay more for meat from animals raised in better environments. The forecast is that AI-based animal welfare technology will contribute to forming a premium meat market as ethical livestock methods become increasingly important.
The success of Intellipig is not limited to pigs. The research team is exploring the application of this technology to dogs, cats, horses, and even wild animals.
For example, a system that analyzes pet expressions to inform owners of their emotional states could be developed. Additionally, in animal hospitals, AI could be used to more accurately assess the pain or stress levels of animals.
In the field of wildlife conservation, there is potential for AI to analyze the expressions and behaviors of animals, monitor stress levels, and utilize this information for endangered species conservation research. As AI transforms the way we communicate with animals, researchers are finding innovative applications in animal welfare and ecological protection sectors.
Intellipig opens up the possibility for AI to communicate not just with humans but also with animals. As animal welfare and AI technology merge, significant changes are anticipated not only in the livestock industry but also in pet management, ecological protection, and animal medical fields.
In an era where interest in animal welfare is increasing, AI goes beyond mere automation technology to help create an environment where animals and humans can coexist more peacefully. The era where AI breaks down the barrier between humans and animals and opens up new communication methods has just begun.