Pet shop toys: The 'beast' of animal gizmos

Dubai - Who says wearable tech - the really advanced ones - are only for us humans?

If you think we humans are the only ones going high-tech, think again: our animal friends have something to say about that.
Wearable technologies are indeed gaining traction, so why not some gizmos for our adorable pals? Techradar compiled a list of some of the best and coolest - and oddest, as well - which we'll sum up for you.
 

Pawscam
Think of it as a GoPro for your canine buddy. Its worn around their neck, is AI-driven and automatically starts capturing video when it thinks something interesting is going on. Six-second videos are the norm, perfect for sharing. In addition, you can, at any time, connect to the camera to find out what you pet is up to.
 

Garmin Delta Smart
It's a training collar - but not everyone's happy with it. Inside the Delta Smart is a bark sensor that will help you regulate its bark, helping to minimise its yapping at certain people. And you can do it in a nice or not-so-nice way: either you configure it to emit a tone and vibrate, or have it send out a mild electrical shock. Some 'training', huh?
 

Orscana
Clever name. This disc-shaped contraption does a lot of tricks for your horse, including monitoring its temperature and moisture levels, telling you what rugs is best for it at a time, analysing its movement and even forecasting the weather. The Orscana's maker, Arioneo, also has a separate heart-rate and GPS tracker for our equine friends, the Equimetre.
 

Fujitsu EDSC
The EDSC - Estrus Detection System for Cattle (whew!) - isn't your ordinary ankle ornament: it tracks a cow's movement and, once it shoots up, it's a signal to its owner that it's ready to make some offspring. Why is this so? According to a representative from Fujitsu, cows spike their walk time by up to six times when they are, well, aroused (no other way to put it). Closest thing to online dating for animals.
 

GoPro Fetch Dog
Alright, here's an actual GoPro for your dogs. Just mount it on your pet and let them see the world from their point of view. Point it at any direction and you may be setting up your dog (and, to some extent, yourself) for some Instagram fame.
 

Inupathy
The 'world's first dogs mental visualiser based on heart rate monitoring' means one simple thing: it tells you what mood your pet is in. The color and light pattern on this collar will show you whether he or she is happy, excited or relaxed (pissed off?), all in real-time. What's more, it'll give you a 'deeper understanding' of your dog.
 

Anicall
This gadget from crowdfunding-powered firm Makuake has one sole purpose: tell a cat or dog's owner what the heck it's feeling - without any sensors. Eh? Yes, you read that right, because it interprets your pet's feelings using AI. Ah, Japan... the Land of the Rising Sun and Land of Some-Interesting-Stuff-for-your-Pets, such as pet wig vendo machines, pet emergency evacuation jacket, SOS pet bag emergency carry pack and hoodie pet pouch sweatshirt.
 

Wonderwoof
I wonder if Wonder Woman ever considered a sidekick of sorts. But anyway, the Wonderwoof is pretty straightforward: it tracks your pet's activity with recommended levels for your breed; sets reminders for their medical, grooming and feeding times; and adds caretakers, family and friends so you can remotely monitor them. Oh, and you can meet other dog-lovers with its social media feature.
 

'Bee trackers' at Kew Gardens
Yes, that's a real photo of a bee with some gizmo superglued on it (poor buzzers). Alright, that may sound a bit 'heavy' to some, but it has a noble purpose: that thing on their backs contains an RFID transmitter and mini aerial coil that would help in finding out more on bees' behaviour. It was designed by Tumbling Dive in association with the University of Newcastle and tested at London's Key Gardens. I wonder how light that thing is, considering bees' size.
 

Vital Herd
Again, we're not making this up. And while you're staring at the image above, we'll confirm what you've been speculating: yes, this time it's an 'e-pill' that is mixed into cows' feed, so they can swallow it and have all the tracking done from its belly. It can monitor heart rate, temperature and how the acid's doing in there. "In the near future, dairy and beef will be 'connected' and it's better for you and the animals", its website says. Also should have said 'not all wearables should be visible', right?
- alvin@khaleejtimes.com