Smart collars help keep an eye on your dog's health and location
Human beings aren’t the only ones donning ever-more powerful wearable electronic devices. Our four-legged friends have an increasing array of smart collars from which to choose. Two cases in point are the Whistle, an exercise tracker for your pooch, and Tagg, a GPS tracker designed to ensure your beloved pet doesn’t end up in the lost dogs’ home.
Whistle
Whistle is a wireless based sensor device that attaches to your dog's collar and passively collects data about your pet’s activity and resting periods 24 hours a day using movement-sensing accelerometers. It doesn’t track steps or calories like human fitness trackers such as the Fitbit and Nike+ Fuel band, but instead measures time spent active. It then synchronizes that data wirelessly with a smartphone or computer via an app.
When the app is first installed, users must sync the Whistle device to their iOS device. Currently, Whistle is only compatible with iOS devices, however, the creators tell us that an Android app is on its way. When it is within 33 ft (10 m) of the tracker, the synced iOS device will commence downloading data that allows the dog's activity levels to be monitored over time.
The software compares dog activity data to norms based on factors such as breed, age, and weight, whilst also looking out for any deviations or anomalies. It contextualizes the data into activity patterns and plots them along graphs. It is able to distinguish between different types of activity using existing veterinary research to differentiate owner-instigated activity versus activity that happens when the dog is alone.
The tracker is useful in ascertaining things like how often a dog may have been walked while left in the care of someone else or if your pet is especially active when, for example, the mailman drops by. It could also pinpoint restlessness during a sleep cycle possibly caused by itching and scratching.
Whistle's creators are working directly with veterinarians and are planning on providing a portal for vets to see information about their patients. Additionally, owners will be able to create printable reports that can be brought along to their pets’ annual checkups.
The tracker weighs 16 g (0.5 oz) and measures 38 mm in diameter and 10 mm high. Battery life is around 10 days and an LED light will display when it needs topping up. This is accomplished by placing the device in a magnetic docking station.
