The scientists have determined that, like us, dolphins perceive television as a representation of reality, rather than simply colour and movement. The team also believe they have seen signs of dolphin self-awareness in the way they react to their own image in mirrors. Talking with the animals Initial experiments using an acoustic joystick to control images on an underwater screen were not a great success. It was replaced by the first underwater touch screen. The screen met with much greater success.
Results indicate that the dolphins can memorise and manipulate some on-screen shapes.
Dr Ken Marten hopes that in the future these shapes could provide a new way of communicating with the dolphins. For the moment the touch screen remains the realm of the only the very keen dolphins. Others in the same tank often appear curious and get very close to the screen, but never actually touch it. Dr Marten eavesdropped on the entire conversation between the two using sonograms . Each dolphin has a call sign that it learns from its mother, much like identifying each other by using a name.