At one time it was not uncommon for home owners to put their dogs on a long leash with the free end tied to the house or some other part of it. This gave the pooch enough leeway to protect the property, stretch his or her legs, and all without having the ability to run away from home. Of course there was the rare dognapping here and there, but those were the days when every stubbed toe was not worth two month’s coverage in the media and led to years of discourse and lengthy litigation.
Now, in the “enlightened” twenty-first century, homeowners will soon seamlessly be able to connect their pet to their smart home. Allegedly, this will enable a wide range of applications to support home security as well as monitor the pet’s health.
Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) based sound recognition software from Audio Analytic, dedicated smart home products will respond to the distinct sound of a barking dog. No mention yet for ‘meows’. Applications could include turning on home appliances at first ‘woof’ to deter intruders or alert homeowners to view video from home security cameras to check on their pet, as well as the invading hordes.
I guess you could call this the “Clapper” for dogs. However, cat owners may have to wait a while before deploying their felines in attack and protect mode.
The new dog bark software sensor is fully integrated with Audio Analytic’s flexible ai3 software platform alongside other established software sensors on the market, such as window break, CO/smoke alarm detector, and baby cry. The software is hardware agnostic and can work in a wide range of products from light bulbs and security cameras to digital personal assistants. A short video titled ‘Eli and Monty’ showcases the capability of Audio Analytic’s dog bark software sensor.
Personally, I find the whole concept of connecting one’s pet to one’s smart home fascinating, and perhaps downright practical. I’ll investigate further and see if this technology will work with my pet. His name is Billy Budd. ~MD
