peta2 to Take Innovative ‘I, Chicken’ Virtual Reality Experience to Portland State University
High-Tech Project Will Let Students See, Hear, and Feel What It’s Like to Be a Bird Facing Trouble
For Immediate Release:
April 30, 2015
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
Most students at Portland State University have probably never considered what it feels like to be a chicken, so peta2—PETA’s youth division—is bringing its innovative “I, Chicken” virtual reality (VR) installation to the school’s campus. “I, Chicken” uses the most cutting-edge VR hardware available—including wireless VR goggles, motion-capture cameras, and a powerful computer—to immerse participants in a world where they can flap their wings, communicate with other chickens, and engage in other natural chicken behavior. But as participants soon learn, life for the 26 million chickens slaughtered every day isn’t a walk in the park.
Where: Between Neuberger Hall and Smith Memorial Student Union, Portland State University, Portland
When: Friday, May 1, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
“I, Chicken” was made possible by a grant from The Simpsons co-creator and noted philanthropist Sam Simon—who passed away on March 8 but was able to be one of the first to try the experience during its launch. Since then, peta2—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—has taken the project to schools across the country, surprising many students along the way:
- A student at Brown University described the experience by saying, “It was pretty incredible. It made me feel scared. I was super confused the whole time and can imagine that’s what a chicken probably feels like.”
- One Ohio State University student remarked, “I felt hopelessness, confusion, and fear. So it kind of helped me to understand more what chickens feel.”
“It impacted me a lot to see the world from the perspective of a chicken,” said a student at Smith College. “This made me feel kind of sad .… Life is just not very good for the chickens.”
For more information, please visit peta2.com.
