If all three pigeons pecked, the weapon would be released. This prototype was never developed, but influenced later work on animal training. For a discussion of the instrument, see James Capshew, ...

Julie Skinner Vargas accepted the peace prize on behalf of her late father B.F. Skinner, who wrote the pigeon-missile study. Skinner Vargas is also the head of the B.F. Skinner Foundation.