The Lure of Horse-Computer Interaction : an ethographic approach

Dr Steve North and colleagues at the University of Nottingham, UK have developed a new study-area methodology, and have coined a new word for it : “Ethographology“ (derived from ‘ethnographic’ and ‘ethology’).

“The ethnographic elements of ethographology describe practices, reasons, cultures, and competencies. By way of contrast, the ethology components of ethographology are more concerned with behaviors, purposes, species, and strategies. Some advantages to ethographology as a methodology are: allowing narratives to be compared, reducing observer bias, and generalization of results across studies.”

Details can be found in Dr North’s paper ‘Do androids dream of electric steeds? The allure of horse-computer interaction.’ ACM Interactions, 23 (2). pp. 50-53. 2016.

More information on Horse-Computer Interaction can be examined in ‘HABIT: Horse Automated Behaviour Identification Tool – A Position Paper’ (from which the photo above is taken)

Coming soon : Dog-Multiscreen Interaction