Enrichment Apparatus and Enrichment Applications

Abstract

The present invention features a method and apparatus for enriching the environment of an animal. The apparatus presents a stimulus to an animal, and the animal may input the correct response to the stimulus into an interface. Upon a correct response the apparatus delivers a treat, indication, or combination thereof to the animal. The apparatus may increase the complexity of the stimulus with each correct response. The apparatus may also be connected to social media to track and compare the results of the animal's actions with other animals.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a housing defining an interface aperture;   a treat delivery system including a treat reservoir and a treat delivery mechanism, the treat delivery system receiving a signal and dispensing treats in response to the signal;   a computing device disposed within the housing, the computing device including an interface, the interface being adjacently disposed to the interface aperture and facing out of the housing;   wherein the computing device executes an enrichment application, the enrichment application being configured to present a stimulus to an animal via the interface and to receive input from the animal via the interface; and   wherein the signal is provided to the treat delivery system in response to the animal correctly responding to the stimulus.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the treat delivery system further includes one or more indicators that output an indication; and   the one or more indicators are configured to output a predetermined pattern in response to the animal correctly responding to the stimulus.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the indication is a predetermined light pattern, sound pattern, or olfactory pattern. 
     
     
         4 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the treat delivery system further includes:
 a valve; and   a valve actuator that opens and closes the valve,   the valve actuator being responsive to the signal.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the value delivers a solid or liquid treat. 
     
     
         8 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the enrichment application receives configuration parameters and adjusts a complexity of the stimulus based on the configuration parameters. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the enrichment application is configured to store data corresponding to responses by the animal to the presented stimulus. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a tablet computer and the interface is a touchscreen of the tablet computer. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a laptop computer, a smartphone, or a microcontroller. 
     
     
         14 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the enrichment application is configured to increase the complexity of a next stimulus each time the animal correctly responds to a previous stimulus. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus comprising:
 a support structure;   a treat delivery system including a treat reservoir and a treat delivery mechanism, the treat delivery system receiving a signal and dispensing treats in response to the signal;   a computing device in contact with the support structure, the computing device including an interface;   wherein the computing device executes an enrichment application, the enrichment application being configured to present a stimulus to an animal via the interface and to receive input from the animal via the interface; and   wherein the signal is provided to the treat delivery system in response to the animal correctly responding to the stimulus.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the treat delivery system further includes one or more indicators that output an indication; and   the one or more indicators are configured to output a predetermined pattern in response to the animal correctly responding to the stimulus.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the indication is a predetermined light pattern, sound pattern, or olfactory pattern. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the treat delivery system further includes:
 a valve; and   a valve actuator that opens and closes the valve,   the valve actuator being responsive to the signal.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the valve delivers a solid or liquid treat. 
     
     
         24 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the enrichment application receives configuration parameters and adjusts a complexity of the stimulus based on the configuration parameters. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the enrichment application is configured to store data corresponding to responses by the animal to the presented stimulus. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the computing device is a tablet computer and the interface is a touchscreen of the tablet computer. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the computing device is a laptop computer, a smartphone, or a microcontroller. 
     
     
         30 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the enrichment application is configured to increase the complexity of a next stimulus each time the animal correctly responds to a previous stimulus. 
     
     
         33 . A method of enriching an environment of an animal, the method comprising:
 presenting a stimulus via an interface of a computing device;   receiving input via the interface;   determining whether the input was a correct response to the stimulus; and   when the input was the correct response, causing a treat delivery system to dispense treats for a predetermined duration.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 increasing a complexity of a next stimulus when the input to the stimulus was the correct response; and   presenting the next stimulus via the interface.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein causing the treat delivery system to dispense treats for a predetermined duration includes emitting a predetermined indication via an indicator for the predetermined duration. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the treat delivery system includes one or more sensors outputting a signal in response to the indicator, the one or more sensors being electronically coupled to a valve actuator, the valve actuator being responsive to the signal. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the sensor is a light sensor or a sound sensor. 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising opening, by the valve actuator, a valve coupled to a treat reservoir in response to the signal. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the animal is not restrained into a user position within the enriching environment.