Forget about immersive gaming; what about dairy? Russian farmers believe that cows will produce higher quality milk if they’re looking out into a pleasing landscape rather than a depressing farm, and they’re testing that theory with virtual reality. Yes, that means equipping cows with VR headsets, which have reportedly “reduced anxiety and improved overall emotional mood” in herds.
The second phase of the experiment, it said, will evaluate the VR-wearing cows’ milk production. The farmers worked with developers and veterinarians, and relied on cattle-vision research, to “create unique software simulating a summer field.” The administration published a photograph featured a Holstein Friesian wearing a black headset on an overcast day, presumably gazing at a green pasture.