Understanding your pet's emotions with wearable tech

Understanding your pet's emotions with wearable tech

TOKYO, JAPAN - We're used to wearable tech for humans - but now pets are being targeted by designers.

Japanese firm Anicall showed off its latest sensor-equipped jackets for cats and dogs at Tokyo's Wearables Expo.

The garments are designed to detect pets' bodily movements, gathering data for their owners via a phone app.

Photo: Reuters

"By monitoring the heart rate of a dog, we can understand the details of its health condition. Our device can track the heart rate of dogs and cats, which helps people better maintain the health of old dogs and cats," said Akira Hanawa, CEO of Anicall Corporation.

Anicall says these collars show if your pet is excited, relaxed, playful or annoyed.

Such claims are hard to prove. You can't ask your pet if the readings are accurate, after all.

But 31 year-old veterinary Atsushi Ogawa is impressed.

Photo: Reuters

"As such technology develops, we'll become more able to communicate with animals."

Anicall's prototypes will undergo further tweaking before going on sale.

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