Mad owners clamour for ‘WhatsYapp’ digital dogs
This digitally-enabled world never ceases to amaze and today we receive the following missive from online pet store Fetch (as in ‘fetch that bloody ball’ presumably):
Fetch to develop the UK’s first canine translation device
Fetch takes the next major step in consumer technology following the public’s vote for ‘WhatsYapp’- a device that lets you know what your dog is thinking.
Fetch, the online pet store, unveils WhatsYapp as the first concept to be developed in its recently launched Petnology Centre. Designed to help owners build a better understanding of their pet’s needs, WhatsYapp is described as the world’s most advanced communications system for dogs. It uses smartband technology to analyse a dog’s sounds, movements and activities, resulting in a direct translation to an app on your phone.
WhatsYapp is broken down into two distinct areas that combine together to create a predictive behavioural translator for your dog.
Data that comes from the dog itself. The device attaches to your dog’s collar and has an in-built microphone and many features that you’d associate with a smart-watch, which monitors sound, movement, bodily positioning, time and location. The collar connects to both the owner’s smartphone and the local wi-fi in the home.
A selection of unique, discrete low-energy Bluetooth stickers (ibeacons) are supplied with the collar which the owner can stick to key locations in the home, e. g. doors, dog bowls, bed and utility areas to create a pet-smart home.
Rachel Comerford, Head of Commercial at Fetch commented: “We’re thrilled that the public voted for WhatsYapp. The team at Fetch is passionate about caring for pets in the best way possible and we’re excited to see how this technology can improve our understanding of our canine friends. We’ll be working closely with tech and engineering experts to develop a WhatsYapp prototype and are excited to get started.”
WhatsYapp indeed, well that’s quite funny. But is it April 1 already? Or has the world gone stark raving mad?
Guess we all know the answer to that one..
(Editor’s note – that’s our dog, not Fetch’s).