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Dog decoder hit in Japan

Posted by (Melissa Drake) on Thu 3 Oct 2002 - 08:25
Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

Technology helps up communicate, and now it's helping people understand their dogs better. Bowlingual uses a tiny microphone, attached to a dog collar, which transmits the sounds of the animal to a palm-sized console.

The sounds are sorted into six emotional categories: frustration, menace, joy, sorrow, demand and self-expression, and the console shows a phrase to fit the emotional state, such as "I am sad. I want to play" and "I am super angry. I am going to explode!". It's selling like hotcakes, but it's only avaiable in Japan. And don't worry about 'accents', Bowlingual is compatible with more than 50 dog breeds, from Chihuahuas to German Shepherds.

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Comments

KT — Thu 3 Oct 2002 - 11:14
#1
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This reminds me of the baby translator from that one episode of The Simpsons.

"This leash demeans us both!" :}

Manawolf — Thu 3 Oct 2002 - 15:34
#2
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Well, I guess in the absence of owners actually learning their dog's body language and vocalizations for themselves, this is a good thing...?

Neh. Of course it's a good thing. It's actually very clever. I'm just a fan of the strategy called "figuring it out yourself," theory says people used to do that, long ago... You get so much more out of it.... but it's too hard, imagine that, you'd have to LEARN.

Er - one slight note, Chihuahuas and German Shepards aren't different species, they're different breeds. All dogs are the same species. ^_^ Sorry, I'll stop being a stickler for terminology now and shut up. ;)

MelSkunk — Fri 4 Oct 2002 - 08:12
#3
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Species? Where does it say species? It says breeds! ;)
Okay, I changed that. I was following the article too closely and didn't notice that mistake, and then rewrote it in mine. My bad. I do know better...

Melissa "MelSkunk" Drake

Anon — Fri 4 Oct 2002 - 14:58
#4
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RUFF!

Whine Bark Growl!
BARK! BARK! BARK!

Signed Rover

Anon — Fri 4 Oct 2002 - 20:22
#5
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Ruf, a wruf ruf, LeChuck! GRRRRR!

Chip_Unicorn — Mon 7 Oct 2002 - 15:49
#6
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Hrm. I've got two dogs. Let's see what Dancer thinks:

There's food in the fridge. I know that there's food in the fridge. I smell that there's food in the fridge. Food would be tasty right now. I like food. I haven't eaten in nearly twenty minutes! Maybe if I whine a bit and snuffle at the refrigerator door, the humans will open it and give me food? Food is good. There's food in the fridge. I know that there's...

Hrm. Let's move the bow-lingual to my other dog, Sparky.

Ball! The ball bounces! If I bring the ball to Chip, he can throw it! Ball! I drop the ball at Chip's feet. Maybe he doesn't see ball? Ball! Let me drop ball in his lap! Oh, boy! He threw it! Chasechasechasechasechase! I've got the ball! I've got the ball! I'm so proud of myself! If I bring the ball to Chip, he can throw it!

Yep. It works.

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About the author

MelSkunk (Melissa Drake) — read stories — contact (login required)

a student and Skunk from Toronto, ON, interested in writting, art, classic cars and animals