New High Tech Australian Zoo To Use Drones, Robots, And Augmented Reality

The impending western Sydney Zoo plans to use drones, robots, augmented reality, and whatever innovative technology that an upcoming hackathon at Western Sydney University will dream up. The hackathon is expected to attract more than academics and scientists, but also start-ups, business and industry professionals, and engineers. The partnership between the new zoo and the university could disrupt any current norm of what a zoo experience entails. Using Levi Stadium, the home of the 49ers, deep in the heart of Silicon Valley as the high-tech model, Don Wright, the manager of the university's Launch Pad program, believes that a visit to the new zoo should be "one of the most technologically advanced wildlife experiences in the world." First, they are considering the overall user experience from the moment visitors arrive at the zoo. "There is lots of focus on reducing queues, getting food to people faster, and using real-time data through the whole facility to deliver a better experience."