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Posted: 18th January 2013

Bird buggy for driving parrot
Noisy parrot quietened by beak-controlled car

 An African grey parrot has learned to drive its own specially-adapted car designed by his owner, a Florida University engineering graduate.

Andrew Gray had tried numerous techniques to help quieten down his 10-year-old parrot, Pepper, who would scream incessantly. He even built a sound-activated water gun that sprayed Pepper every time he got too noisy.

However, nothing worked until Andrew looked at the cause of the problem.

"I wanted to come up with a solution to all the noise," he said. "I realised the bird needed to be around people constantly, he just needed to be in the same room, so I built the bird buggy."

The invention has not only kept Pepper occupied, but it has also provided him with his own mode of transport to Andrew, without having to constantly call for attention.

The electric bird buggy moves about with a beak-operated joystick that Pepper has been trained to use. The buggy also has special bump sensors and a "robotic mode" in which the device takes itself back to its charging station.

"He knows how to drive forwards, backwards, left and right - he loves his new toy!"

Click here to view a video Pepper whizzing about the bird buggy.



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