New Pet Tech at CES: Treating Dogs and Cats with Advanced Technology

Tech Innovations for Pets at CES 2022

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) consistently showcases innovative technology for pet owners, and 2022 was no exception. This year, several gadgets demonstrated a shift in perspective, recognizing dogs and cats as intelligent creatures with emotions and a capacity for self-expression.

Smart Collars and Activity Tracking

Catlog represents a significant advancement in pet monitoring. It’s a smart collar paired with a weight-sensing platform designed to track a feline’s daily activities.

The collar utilizes movement and vibration sensors to identify “cat-like behaviors” such as sleeping, grooming, eating, and general locomotion. This data is transmitted to owners via an IoT hub in near real-time, allowing them to review their cat’s daily routines.

This technology moves beyond simply providing a pet accessory; it acknowledges that pets have lives and engage in activities even when their owners aren’t present.

Advanced Health Monitoring

Invoxia expands on this concept with a smart collar for dogs that monitors both location and vital signs, specifically heart and respiratory rates. While efficacy requires validation, the progress in wearable health technology for humans suggests the feasibility of similar monitoring for canine companions.

Like humans, animals can experience heart and lung problems, and certain breeds are predisposed to these conditions. A collar that alerts owners to potential anomalies offers a proactive approach to pet healthcare, embodying the principle that prevention is better than cure.

Exploring Canine Psychology

Inupathy, a dog-worn backpack, aims to detect psychological states. While devices targeting human emotional states have yielded mixed results, Langualess, the creator, believes heart rate analysis can indicate a dog’s emotional state.

Analyzing heart rate patterns can potentially differentiate between relaxation, excitement, or prolonged states of anger or anxiety. The company’s innovation lies in a reliable sensor and circuit capable of accurately characterizing a dog’s heart rate.

While external cues like tail position and vocalizations are informative, adding physiological data provides a more comprehensive understanding of a dog’s emotional well-being.

Early Warning Systems for Heart Health

ITRI, Taiwan’s leading applied research institution, presented iPetWeaR, a concept focused on data-driven early warnings for preventing canine heart attacks. This low-power radar technology is non-invasive and can be integrated into a collar or dog bed.

The iPetWear package includes a sensor, a collar, and a mobile app, compatible with both cats and dogs. A demonstration video highlights the product’s capabilities.

Data collected by iPetWear is transmitted to the owner’s phone via Bluetooth. Notifications are sent in the event of irregular heartbeat or breathing, enabling timely intervention and potential early detection of underlying health issues.

Geofencing and Training Solutions

Wagz, a well-established brand, offers the Freedom Collar with virtual geofences to ensure pets remain within designated areas. Coupled with GPS tracking, fitness mapping, and humane corrections, it’s a popular training tool.

CES 2022 saw the introduction of Wagz Tagz, allowing dogs to roam freely indoors while establishing “Keep Out Zones” ranging from 3 to 15 feet. The collar triggers the geofence when approaching these zones, offering a clever way to restrict access to furniture or other areas.

Facilitating Canine Communication

FluentPet introduces a unique approach: buttons that allow dogs to “express” themselves using human vocabulary.

Inspired by the social media success of dogs like Stella and Bunny, who appear to communicate using buttons, FluentPet kits include labeled buttons that produce words like “outside,” “food,” or “love you.” These buttons are placed on foam mats to aid learning.

While the extent to which dogs understand the meaning of these words is debatable, pressing a button can elicit a desired response, such as receiving a pet or a quicker meal. It offers a novel way for pets to communicate their needs and desires.