Man’s best friend goes high tech at gadget fest
LAS VEGAS: Technology is going to the dogs.
And to cats and horses, for that matter, as high-end gadgetry showcased at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show offered ways that smart devices can improve the lives of animals and their human friends — starting with a good night’s rest.
US-based Petrics was at the show with what it billed as the first pet smart bed, capable of keeping tabs on their weight and time spent lounging.
The soon-to-be-released bed cools or warms to provide comfy temperatures for naps, and synchronizes to activity trackers that monitor how much exercise they are getting so that owners get a complete daily report.
An array of firms meanwhile showed off wearable devices to monitor pets on the move, aiming to consign neighborhood ‘lost’ posters to history.
Among them was Whistle, which is up to a third-generation device equipped with GPS and mobile network capabilities.
Custom ‘safe zones’ can be set up around a home and if pets wander out-of-bounds their humans will get smartphone messages allowing them to pinpoint where their pooch, or kitty, is on the map.
“If your pet gets out they can be missing for hours or days,” said Whistle spokesperson Heather Wajer.
“You can put up posters around the neighborhood and search for
If your pet gets out they can be missing for hours or days. — Whistle spokesperson Heather Wajer
them, or you can just look at your phone and see where they are.”
Leaving your pet behind at home can cause anxiety both for humans and their animals.
While home cameras that can stream feeds via the internet have been around for some time, Petcube has improved on the basic concept by introducing ‘smart’ elements.
With the help of artificial intelligence, pets movements in front of its camera will trigger a video call to their human’s phone as well as a preview ‘pet selfie’ clip.
Its device also comes with laser pointers allowing people to remotely play with their furry friends if they’re getting bored, and even reward good behavior by firing off treats during calls.
Petcube co-founder and chief executive Yaroslav Azhnyuk estimated that 40 million households will use connected pet devices by the year 2022.
Meanwhile, startup Pebby is working on a “smart robotic ball” with built-in camera, wifi, Bluetooth and laser pointer capabilities, affording more opportunities to play remotely. — AFP