Artificial Intelligence Collars: The Latest Pet Tech at CES 2024
Pets at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas are benefiting from a range of animal-focused technology, despite not owning smartphones or having internet access. From monitoring a dog’s activity levels and detecting heart issues to being aware of when a cat’s litterbox needs attention, these advancements allow owners to stay connected and informed about their pets’ well-being.
Here’s a roundup of some of the tech for pets and their owners on display at CES 2024:
– Smart collars –
What does Rover have now? The Smart Dog collar not only helps owners locate their pet in real time, but also monitors its activity – including its heart rate and whether it’s barking.
The technology was developed by French GPS specialist Invox, which now also offers a mini version (small enough even for cats) called Minitailz – which records health data and can even help detect atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heart rhythm) in animals.
Minitailz uses generative artificial intelligence and notices when the animal does anything from scratching to eating. It even recognizes when pets are showing signs of stress.
Lately, daily exercise quotas have gone to the dogs – literally. Australian startup Ilume’s collar, called Tracker, counts the dog’s steps and tells the owner via smartphone what the pet is doing – such as walking or sleeping.
The company also offers the Smart Bowl, whose algorithm calculates ideal food portions based on age, weight and activity level.
The market for pet products is expected to skyrocket in the coming years, according to industry trackers, which is no surprise since about 66 percent of U.S. households now have at least one pet, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA).
However, animals are not the only ones who benefit from these relationships: Numerous scientific studies have shown that pet owners are healthier and have a lower risk of diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases.
– sandbox technology –
Pet-related innovations also help the human companions of dogs and cats.
The Whiskers litter box sifts litter into the litter box so owners don’t have to scoop – and notifies the pet’s parents via the app when the litter box is full and needs to be emptied.
Litter box competitor Pawbby also cleans itself – and monitors how often the cat poops and pees, as well as the animal’s weight, helping owners stay up-to-date on their pet’s health.
Chinese engineer Allen Wu created the device after learning that his cat’s illness could have been detected earlier if he had noticed a change in its bathroom habits, he told AFP.
