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Category Archives: Animals
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Investigating Augmented Reality Animals as Companions
“A Friend in Need” 1903 Cassius Marcellus Coolidge
Investigating Augmented Reality Animals as Companions
Nahal Norouzi – Gerd Bruder – Greg Welch
Jeremy Bailenson
ABSTRACT. Human-animal interaction has been studied in a variety of settings and for a range of populations, with some findings pointing towards its benefits for physical, mental and social human health. Technological advances opened up new opportunities for researchers to replicate human-animal interactions with robotic and graphical animals, and to investigate human-animal relationships for different applications such as mental health and education. Although graphical animals have been studied in the past in the physical health and education domains, most of the time, their realizations were bound to computer screens, limiting their full potential, especially in terms of companionship and the provision of support. In this work, we describe past research efforts investigating influences of human-animal interaction on mental health and different realization of such animals. We discuss the idea that augmented reality could offer potential for human-animal interaction in terms of mental and social health, and propose several aspects of augmented reality animals that warrant further research for such interactions.
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Animal Health Considerations Before, During and After the County Fair
The recent undetected introduction and rapid spread of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom highlights the importance of the integration of effective biosecurity practices in every livestock operation within the US. Showing and exhibiting animals presents a risk for the spread of foreign or domestic infectious disease.
Infectious diseases such as respiratory disease, contagious mastitis and bovine viral diarrhea, can present signs within a relatively short time frame, whereas Johne’s disease may not show signs for years after exposure. Taking the precautions listed below before, during and after fairs can help decrease the exposure to infectious disease.
Standards Michigan: Animal Care Standards
The Great New York State Fair | Onondaga County
Animal Safety
“One of the Family” 1880 | Frederick George Cotman
NFPA 150 Fire and Life Safety in Animal Housing Facilities Code has entered its s025 revision cycle. Many education communities are responsible for animal safety in academic units, research enterprises. museums and even — as in the United Kingdom — large farm animals that wander freely on campus with students, faculty and staff. The number of colleges and universities that permit students to live with their pets has expanded; and with it the responsibilities of university administration.
From the document scope:
This standard shall provide the minimum requirements for the design, construction, fire protection, and classification of animal housing facilities. The requirements of NFPA 150 recognize the following fundamental principles:
(1) Animals are sentient beings with a value greater than that of simple property.
(2) Animals, both domesticated and feral, lack the ability of self-preservation when housed in buildings and other structures.
(3) Current building, fire, and life safety codes do not address the life safety of the animal occupants. The requirements found in NFPA 150 are written with the intention that animal housing facilities will continue to be designed, constructed, and maintained in accordance with the applicable building, fire, and life safety codes.
The requirements herein are not intended to replace or rewrite the basic requirements for the human occupants. Instead, NFPA 150 provides additional minimum requirements for the protection of the animal occupants and the human occupants who interact with those animals in these facilities.
A full description of the project is linked below:
Fire and Life Safety in Animal Housing Facilities Code
Access to the 2025 Edition is linked below:
We provide the transcript of the back-and-forth on the current 2022 edition to inform how education communities can contribute to the improvement of this title; a subject that stirs deep feelings about animal safety in research enterprises.
We contribute to NFPA 150: SAFETY IN ANIMAL HOUSING FACILITIES https://t.co/PxSznGDGw1 #TotalCostofOwnership pic.twitter.com/BmJ0HgvpQ3
— Standards Michigan (@StandardsMich) March 9, 2016
Public comment on the Second Draft of the 2025 Edition will be received until March 27, 2024.
We have been advocating risk-informed animal safety concepts in this document since the 2013 Edition and have found that it is nearly impossible to overestimate the sensitivity of educational communities to the life safety of animals — either for agriculture or medical research.
We maintain the entire NFPA catalog on the standing agenda of our Prometheus colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Kids raised right….
— Carissa (@njoyzgrl81) April 6, 2024
Issue: [11-1] and [19-5]
Category: Fire Protection, Facility Asset Management, Academic, Risk Management
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Josh Elvove, Joe DeRosier
More:
”Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.„ Psalms 51:10
Have a blessed Sunday all who feed humanity! #dairy #beef … pic.twitter.com/BG68A4Sn5h— Ion Moraru 🇺🇦 (@IonMoraruDairy) February 18, 2024
‘Tension and Uncertainty’: How a diverse technical committee rife with opposing viewpoints created the new NFPA 150 https://t.co/sqam82C0G7 pic.twitter.com/BvcveX6dwM
— NFPA (@NFPA) December 31, 2018
Bibliography:
National Institute of Health: Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
International Building Code: Section 304 (Business Group B): Animal hospitals, kennels and pounds
Terrestrial Animal Health Code
IEEE Guide for Animal Deterrents for Electric Power Supply Substations
IEEE Livestock Monitoring System
Ventilation Design Handbook on Animal Research Facilities
HVAC Design in Animal Facilities
USDA Animal Welfare Information Center
US Department of Agriculture: Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations
S. 4288: Reducing Animal Testing Act
Protecting Animals When Disaster Strikes
Animals 300
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
Kids raised right….
— Carissa (@njoyzgrl81) April 6, 2024
“The Peaceable Kingdom” 1833 Edward Hicks
Today we scan the status of literature that informs the safety and sustainability of the built environment for animals large and small. Animals are found in education communities as pets. sporting partners, agricultural research and teaching settings, as medical research subjects and clinical care facilities. ANSI-Accredited standards developers with a footprint in this domain are listed below:
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
ASHRAE International
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
Animal Kingdom: A Large and Diverse Dataset for Animal Behavior Understanding
International Code Council
National Fire Protection Association
Underwriters Laboratories
Government agencies at all levels borrow from best practice recommendations in the catalog of the foregoing standards developers. Conversely, those same standards developers borrow from the best practice recommendations from the same government agencies.
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More
National Research Council: Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
National Library of Medicine: Regulation of Animal Research
Most education communities use the foregoing regulations upon which to build their own standards. For example:
Border Collie Optimization
University Institute of Technology, Burdwan, India
CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, India
Sukanta Mahavidyalaya, Jalpaiguri, India
FEECS, VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
Abstract: In recent times, several metaheuristic algorithms have been proposed for solving real world optimization problems. In this paper, a new metaheuristic algorithm, called the Border Collie Optimization is introduced. The algorithm is developed by mimicking the sheep herding styles of Border Collie dogs. The Border Collie’s unique herding style from the front as well as from the sides is adopted successfully in this paper. In this algorithm, the entire population is divided into two parts viz., dogs and sheep. This is done to equally focus on both exploration and exploitation of the search space. The Border Collie utilizes a predatory move called eyeing.
This technique of the dogs is utilized to prevent the algorithm from getting stuck into local optima. A sensitivity analysis of the proposed algorithm has been carried out using the Sobol’s sensitivity indices with the Sobol g-function for tuning of parameters. The proposed algorithm is applied on thirty-five benchmark functions. The proposed algorithm provides very competitive results, when compared with seven state-of-the-art algorithms like Ant Colony optimization, Differential algorithm, Genetic algorithm, Grey-wolf optimizer, Harris Hawk optimization, Particle Swarm optimization and Whale optimization algorithm. The performance of the proposed algorithm is analytically and visually tested by different methods to judge its supremacy. Finally, the statistical significance of the proposed algorithm is established by comparing it with other algorithms by employing Kruskal-Wallis test and Friedman test.
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Working Dogs
Standards Wyoming | School Facilities Commission
Hey lovelies ☕🥰🍂
I hope this post finds you well & that you have a wonderful day! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ljULxGtS70
— Jess Tungsten (@JessTungsten) November 15, 2025
Pros and Cons of Owning A Dog During College
Getting a dog during college can be an exciting thought for many students who are leaving home and are experiencing their first taste of true freedom; However, many young adults fail to consider the responsibilities and obligations that come with owning a dog while in school.
Apart from the necessity as companions for students with disabilities; consider the following:
Pros:
They can lead to decreased stress.
Dogs have the incredible ability to make you feel more relaxed and less stressed. A study actually found that when people took care of dogs for just three months, they showed significant drops in blood pressure and reactivity to stress. There’s no better feeling than coming home after a long day to your furry best friend who’s thrilled to see you.
They help motivate you to exercise.
Daily exercise is an essential part of a dog’s well-being and absolutely cannot be neglected. However, this requirement becomes mutually beneficial because it also ensures that you’re getting outside daily, intaking sunlight, and getting your own exercise. Even if you’re having a rough day and don’t feel like doing much, your dog will make sure that you go outside and get moving.
They make great companions if you live alone.
Dogs can be fantastic companions for students who choose to live alone. Living by yourself can be lonely. Your pet can serve as a companion to keep you occupied, as well as a solid guard dog when needed (or you can at least let them think they are).
Cons:
They require a time and patience.
If you’re thinking about getting a dog in college, be prepared to commit tons of time and attention to them. Training sessions will be vitally important in ensuring that your dog is potty-trained, can behave on a leash, and can be trusted around other dogs. You’ll also have to make time for vet appointments, play time, and letting them out on a consistent basis.
They can be expensive.
Dogs can be extremely expensive. Between vet bills, food, toys, and general dog supplies, the costs can quickly add up. Assessing your financial situation beforehand and determining whether or not now is the right time for you to get a dog, is absolutely essential.
They can cut into your social life; although can expand your social life with a starting point for common conversation with other dog lovers.
Like it or not, having a dog will cut into your social time with your friends. Staying out until 4 am on the weekends or being away from your house for 12 hours at a time is no longer feasible when your pet is waiting for you at home. Plan to make arrangements to fit your dog’s needs, which may mean missing out on social activities from time to time.
Readings
University of Michigan: Animals on Campus
North Central Michigan College
“Nipper” RCA Victor
It sure looks 👀 different around @EastCarolina and CET this week. ➡️https://t.co/pPRZ35XhMw pic.twitter.com/niXow6C8rI
— ECU Engr&Technology (@ECUCET) March 5, 2024
Wildlife Protective Devices on Overhead Power Distribution Systems
Agricultural colleges and university farms often manage extensive overhead power distribution lines across research fields, livestock areas, and experimental plots. In these rural settings, wildlife (birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc.) frequently causes power outages by contacting energized conductors. Reliable electricity is essential for research projects, climate-controlled greenhouses, irrigation systems, and animal welfare. Even a short outage can ruin valuable experiments, compromise data, and endanger livestock — resulting in major financial and scientific losses.
Following IEEE Std 1656-2010 enables institutions to:
- Select and verify high-performance wildlife protective devices
- Significantly reduce outage frequency
- Enhance safety for both wildlife and staff
- Lower long-term maintenance costs
- Demonstrate responsible and sustainable infrastructure management
By implementing this standard, agricultural colleges ensure uninterrupted power for education and research while promoting wildlife-friendly practices on campus.
This title is a recommended guide (not a mandatory standard) published by the IEEE Power and Energy Society.
Scope: The guide applies to wildlife protective devices (also known as wildlife guards, covers, or deterrents) installed on overhead electrical distribution systems rated up to and including 38 kV. It covers insulating covers, bird diverters, animal barriers, perch management devices, and similar products designed to prevent wildlife contact with energized conductors and equipment. The standard focuses on standardized laboratory test procedures rather than specific product designs or installation methods.
Purpose:
The primary purpose is to provide standardized test methods to evaluate the electrical, mechanical, and durability performance of these devices. This helps utilities and manufacturers ensure the devices effectively reduce wildlife-related outages (from birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc.) while maintaining long-term reliability in outdoor environments.
Key test categories include:
- Electrical: Wet withstand, power frequency flashover, lightning impulse, and high-current arc tests
- Mechanical: Wind, impact, and physical stress resistance
- Durability: UV aging, weather resistance, and flame retardancy
Many commercial wildlife protection products are tested to or exceed IEEE 1656 requirements.
“Finches” Hector Giacomelli 1880
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwB pic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
— USPTO (@uspto) July 13, 2023
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