Before Dug the Dog, the talking canine from the movie Up, there was Zoe, the Alsatian police dog. Zoe was able to follow her master’s commands from a distance by using a shortwave radio strapped to her back. While technology for dogs has come a long way since then, including collars with GPS trackers and biosensors, if you want your dog to talk to you through a collar, you’ll have to build one yourself.
Building a device to read your dog’s brainwaves and translate their thoughts into speech through a collar is quite challenging. However, a group of engineering students at the University of Illinois started an organization called Alma’s Talking Dogs. They use EEG technology, signal processing, and machine learning to interpret brainwaves from dogs to better understand them. This technology may one day enable artificial intelligence to give voice to dogs.
For pet owners who want to keep an eye on their pets remotely, there are smart collars available that offer tracking using GPS and LTE-M technology. Smart tags like Apple’s AirTag rely on Bluetooth, which limits their range. To communicate with your dog when you’re away, you might need to add them to your family’s phone plan or explore cellular-enabled walkie talkies.
Most cell-enabled smartwatches offer an auto-answer feature that can be used to communicate with your pet remotely. By getting your pet a cell-enabled watch and setting up a collar that allows you to talk to your dog, you can stay connected even when you’re not together. Training your pet to respond to your voice through the collar speaker is essential, and professional dog trainers can provide helpful tips.
In conclusion, while building a walkie talkie for your dog may seem like a fun project, it requires careful consideration of technology, training, and communication. By exploring the possibilities of modern smart collars and devices, pet owners can enhance their connection with their furry friends even when they’re apart.