Determining whether animals are in pain often relies on observing their vocalizations. Chronic pain in animals may also manifest as reduced appetite or limited movement. However, accurately assessing the presence and severity of pain in animals requires significant experience. Researchers at the University of Florida have developed an AI that aims to identify pain through facial expressions.
The researchers recorded the faces of goats known to be in pain and those that were not. They then trained the AI model using these images along with relevant data. Despite only being tested and trained with 40 goats, the AI achieved an accuracy rate of between 62 and 80 percent in identifying goats with pain-distorted facial expressions, as reported by phys.org.
The researchers believe that with more data on goats and other animal species, the AI could assist veterinarians in diagnosing pain. Ultimately, this technology could improve treatment effectiveness for human patients who cannot articulate their pain.
Veterinarian Ludovica Chiavaccini from the University of Florida stated, “If we can solve this problem with animals, we can do it for children and other patients who cannot speak.” The team’s findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The development of a similar AI model could initially benefit agriculture. Researchers hope that AI support will enable farmers to better detect and monitor acute and chronic pain in animals. However, more research is needed to make the AI as effective as possible. Currently, there is a lack of data and scales for assessing pain in goats and other livestock. The researchers have not yet announced when the AI will be ready for use.
In summary, the AI developed by the University of Florida researchers shows promise in identifying pain in animals through facial expressions. With further research and data, this technology could be extended to assist in diagnosing pain in non-verbal human patients as well. The potential applications in agriculture could also improve the welfare of farm animals by enabling better pain management.