Smart dog collars are nothing new — we’ve already seen the likes of Voyce and Pet-Remote offer capabilities such as health tracking and enhanced communication through vibrations. But the latest option — Buddy from Squeaker — adds a few more tricks to the mix, including LED lighting, geofencing and a food scanner.
Buddy connects to a companion app on the users smartphone via Bluetooth. It uses GPS to help owners keep tabs on their pooches when they’re out and about, enabling them to set a geofence and receive an alert on their smartphone if the dog wanders outside of this. The collar features consistent LED lighting, increasing the dog’s visibility. An inbuilt light sensor means that Buddy can automatically adapt to ambient lighting or be customized by the owner via the app.
The Buddy system enhances the health tracking features of previous collars by including a barcode scanner and an inbuilt database of popular dog foods. This enables users to input their pet’s daily calories, which can be added to other data such as movement and sleep — collected via a 3-axis accelerometer — to help users determine if their diet or exercise routine need adjusting. All of the information can be accessed via the companion app and some readings can also be viewed on the collar itself.
Despite attracting 1000 backers via a Kickstarter campaign, Buddy unfortunately did not reach its crowdfunding goal and will be launching a new campaign soon. Could a similar device be adapted for more independent pets — such as cats?
Website: www.squeakerdogs.com/buddy
Contact: www.squeakerdogs.com/contactus
