Equine Eyes: A Speculative Headset for Interspecies Design Research
Alan Hook’s wearable device challenges designers to perceive environments through animal vision.
1Redefining User-Centered Design
Alan Hook, a researcher at Ulster University, developed Equine Eyes to challenge traditional human-centric design frameworks. This sculptural, horse-shaped headset forces wearers to experience the world through an animal’s perspective. By shifting the focus away from human perception, the project invites designers to reconsider how environments accommodate nonhuman users in shared spaces.
2Simulating Equine Visual Perception
The headset utilizes two 180-degree cameras to approximate a 350-degree field of vision, mimicking the wide range of a horse. The system processes footage to reflect dichromatic color perception, emphasizing blues and yellows. Participants report a disorienting sensation, as the visual arrangement forces them to navigate surroundings through a completely different sensory lens.
3Evolution of the Prototype
Development began in 2017 using basic webcams and an Oculus Rift. Early iterations lacked the immersive quality of the final sculptural mask. Hook discovered that the physical shape of the horse head was essential for user engagement, as participants felt more transformed when the equipment physically resembled the animal they were studying.
4Expanding to Interspecies Toolkits
Beyond the hardware, Hook created the Interspecies Design Toolkit, which adapts Microsoft’s Inclusive Design principles for nonhuman animals. The toolkit provides guidelines for design workshops, encouraging practitioners to observe animal behavior and identify barriers in human-made environments. It serves as a practical framework for architects and product designers to accommodate diverse biological needs.
5Methodology for Nonhuman Users
The toolkit suggests specific exercises, such as allowing animals to initiate play rather than directing their behavior. Designers are encouraged to focus on individual animals before scaling their findings to broader applications. This approach aims to influence the design of domestic objects and architecture, ensuring that interfaces are accessible to nonhuman inhabitants.
6Public Engagement and Exhibitions
The project transitioned from speculative research into public exhibition spaces. In 2024, the headset was featured at the Superpower Design exhibition in Belgium. By July 2026, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in New York adopted the technology for educational programming, allowing professionals who work with horses to test the device.
7Limitations of Sensory Simulation
Hook acknowledges that the headset only provides an approximation of equine perception. A horse’s experience is deeply tied to its entire body, not just its vision. Despite these limitations, the device successfully makes the question of interspecies empathy physical, prompting users to reflect on how differently other species encounter the exact same environment.
8Impact on Design Philosophy
Equine Eyes represents a broader shift toward posthuman design, where humans are no longer the sole measure of all things. By integrating speculative technology with inclusive design principles, the project encourages a fundamental rethink of our relationship with the planet, influencing how we conceptualize future architecture, regenerative landscapes, and living material environments.