Manufacturers of wearable tech expanded their target audience to include man’s best friend, mostly because the activities of our pooches need to be tracked, as well.
Surprisingly enough, the winner of Best of CES 2014 in Wearable Tech isn’t a device intended for humans, but for dogs. Voyce, as this smart collar is called, has been more than two years in the making. If this isn’t a sign that some people were aware of how big wearable tech would become, I don’t know what it is.
As Jeff Noce – the founder of i4C Innovations, the company who developed this smart collar, put it, Voyce is more than just Fitbit-for-dogs. Yes, the collar can track the fitness level and other key vital signs of your dog, but it offers you this information, regardless if you are at home or away. In other words, Voyce more of a connected collar than a fitness tracker, and its ultimate purpose is to enhance the relationship between dogs and their owners.
The parameters monitored by Voice include heart rate, respiration, calories burned and distance traveled. If any of these seems abnormal, dog owners will know ahead of time if something is wrong with their pet.
Does your pooch love water? That shouldn’t be a problem, since Voyce features a waterproof case. On top of that, the band holding the main computing unit is slightly adjustable, but the model delivered will depend on the breed.
The data collected by the device is transmitted via Wi-Fi to smartphones, tablets or desktop PCs. What Voyce basically does is analyzing wellness factors. Should the dog feel uncomfortable and have unusual heart and respiration rates, the owners will figure this out in a a very short time. This allows them to take their pet to a vet right away, before the condition gets worse.
Voyce is already available for sale, and it costs $299. On top of that, dog owners will have to pay $15 per month if they want the data collected by the smart collar to be interpreted. That might sound like a lot, but the information is customized depending on the breed and age of your pet.
The way it looks, wearable tech is no longer exclusive to humans. Our pets will all wear smart devices quite soon, and that’s definitely for the better.
If you liked this post, please check the No More Woof headband that breaks interspecies communication barriers and the iWinks Aurora lucid dreaming headband.
