Is Your Dog Happy? AI-Powered Dog Collar 'Translates' Barks Into Emotions

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Did you know that 56% of Floridians own a pet; 40% are dog owners and 24% own cats. Now imagine being able to talk to your pet, not a one way conversation, but really understand what they are saying when they bark or meow.

It's happening thanks to a high-tech dog collar which is giving canines a new voice, analyzing barks so owners know how their pets are feeling.

The AI-powered collar from Petpuls compares a dog's bark to a database of more than 10-thousand samples from 50 breeds of canines, big and small.

"With this device we, humans, can understand and communicate better, more accurately, more effectively," says Andrew Gil, director of global marketing for Petpuls. He adds that when a dog barks, it means the dog has a need.

The South Korean company says its algorithm can determine a dog's five emotional states: happy, relaxed, anxious, angry, or sad. The more barking data they get, the more accurate the results.

U.S. company Akvelon developed similar technology to translate a cat's meow.

MeowTalk is an app that helps owners better understand their feline friends.

Creators of these devices say listening to our pets is especially relevant during the pandemic. Many people are adopting pets to have some company at home.

But Gil says, "unfortunately some of them abandon their dogs due to miscommunications." He says the smart collar can help dog owners understand their pet's emotions and what triggers them.

The Petpuls smart collar is giving six-year-old Godot a new voice to tell people how she feels. Godot's owner, Moon Sae-Mi, says the device revealed the Border Collie gets angry when she loses a game but feels safe at home even when she's alone.

The Petpuls smart collar sells for 99 dollars.