Method for autonomously training an animal to respond to oral commands

A method for autonomously training an animal with a training apparatus, comprising:

• during a first training session, accessing a video feed recorded by an optical sensor integrated into the training apparatus and defining a field of view intersecting a working field;
• during a first reinforcement cycle within the first training session:
• outputting an audible cue associated with a target action;
• detecting a first action completed by the animal in the video feed;
• and
• in response to the first action falling within a threshold deviation of the target action:
• dispensing a first unit of a primary reinforcer into the working field via a dispenser integrated into the training apparatus;
• and
• initiating a timer for a first fixed interval between dispensation of consecutive units of the primary reinforcer;
• and
• during a second reinforcement cycle succeeding the first reinforcement cycle within the first training session:
• outputting the audible cue;
• in response to detecting a second action, completed by the animal in the video feed, falling within the threshold deviation of the target action, prior to expiration of the timer:
• dispensing a second unit of the primary reinforcer into the working field;
• and
• reinitiating the timer for the first fixed interval;
• and
• in response to expiration of the timer:
• dispensing a third unit of the primary reinforcer into the working field;
• and
• reinitiating the timer for a second fixed interval.

A method for autonomously training an animal with a training apparatus, comprising:

• during a training session for the animal:
• activating a visual cue at the training apparatus;
• and
• accessing a video feed recorded by an optical sensor integrated into the training apparatus and defining a field of view intersecting a working field;
• and
• in response to detecting absence of the animal within the working field in the video feed, playing back an audible cue via an audio driver integrated into the training apparatus;
• and
• in response to detecting the animal within the working field in the video feed:
• playing back a first audio clip associated with a target pose;
• and
• in response to playing back the first audible cue:
• initiating a timer for a first fixed interval;
• tracking a current pose of the animal in the video feed;
• tracking a difference between the current pose and the target pose;
• in response to the difference falling below a threshold difference, confirming execution of the target pose;
• and
• in response to confirming execution of the target pose prior to expiration of the timer:
• dispensing a first unit of a primary reinforcer into the working field via a dispenser integrated into the training apparatus;
• and
• reducing the first fixed interval to a second fixed interval less than the first fixed interval.