A device with physiological and behavioral sensors has been designed by the scientists in the US to give owners a real-time picture of their dog’s mental and emotional state, and allows them to more effectively send back signals and commands, even if their dog is out of sight.
The device shall help you communicate better with your dog and it will close the gap between humans and their canine companions by improving the way we communicate.
Recently, in a press release, a Lead scientist stated , “We’ve developed a platform for computer-mediated communication between humans and dogs that opens the door to new avenues for interpreting dogs’ behavioural signals and sending them clear and unambiguous cues in return,” .
The device, which is about the size of a deck of cards, can be fitted into a wearable dog harness and works using two types of communication technologies. The first allows dogs to communicate with their owners – even when they\’re trying to hide their pain or stress – and the second allows owners to communicate with their dogs.
Because dogs primarily use body language cues to communicate their intentions and mood, the device uses special sensors that can identify what’s going on with their posture at any given time, such as if the dog is sitting, standing, running or cowering. It also includes physiological sensors that can monitor the dog’s heart rate and body temperature. All of this information is transmitted to another device that\’s held by the owner or handler, which can then be used to construct a real-time profile of the dog’s physical well-being and emotional state.
The team says the device can also be customised with additional capabilities depending on what the owner or handler wants to use it for. There will also be applications available specifically for guide dogs so their handlers can monitor their stress levels. This is super-important, because dogs – and guide dogs particularly – habitually try to hide their stress and pain from their owners.
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