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Takara unveils device that analyzes dogs' emotions

Japanese toy maker Takara Co yesterday launched a device which can analyze dogs' emotions and convert them into Japanese expressions, a Takara spokeswoman said.

"We all dreamed about talking to animals when we were children. This can help communicate with your dog," the Takara official, Yoko Watanabe, said.

The device, called "Bowlingual," classifies a dog's barks into six emotional categories -- such as happy, sad, angry and intimidated -- by analyzing the animal's voice patterns, which a small microphone hooked up to the dog's collar records.

The gadget then selects the corresponding expression from some 200 stored words and either displays them on a liquid crystal display or "speaks" them to the pet's owner.

Takara spent two years to develop the product, Watanabe said. The company developed it in cooperation with Matsumi Suzuki, head of Japan Acoustic Laboratory, which studies voice sounds, and Norio Kogure, a well-known Japanese expert on the theory of animal actions.

The new product, of about 10cm2, comes in two colors and is sold at ?14,800 (US$123), only in the Japanese market.

The device also advises pet owners about their dogs' health, by the owners answering questions asked by the device, the company official said.
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