From Chatbots to Shazam Collars: The New Frontier of Pet Communication Technology

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This Conversational Animal Collar Acts as a Digital Interpreter for Your Canine

Ever since humans mastered the art of speech, there's been a fascination with communicating with the animal kingdom. In the contemporary era, our approach involves leveraging technology, from providing our canine friends with buttons that produce speech when pressed, to employing AI in attempts to decode the language of whales.

The newest and arguably the most straightforward method for communicating with animals is a collar activated by sound that enables your pet to respond verbally. That's the concept, at least.

John McHale, who identifies as a technology enthusiast from Austin, Texas, is the founder of a company known as Personifi AI. This emerging business aims to develop technology that, in McHale's words, will "bring personality to everything." Currently, their initial focus is on pets.

The firm has designed a collar equipped with a speaker, enabling owners to communicate with their pets—or more accurately, the collar itself. This interaction triggers a prerecorded human voice to reply, giving the impression that the pet possesses human-like traits and can converse in English. Currently, this innovative collar is exclusively available for cats and dogs. However, McHale is optimistic about expanding the technology to include wearable gadgets for various other animals and potentially, in the future, for humans as well.

The concept for the speaking pet accessory emerged after McHale's dog, Roscoe, was bitten by a rattlesnake. Initially, McHale was unaware of the incident, only realizing something was wrong when Roscoe began to show signs of sickness hours later. Thankfully, Roscoe survived after spending 10 days in the vet hospital, though it likely resulted in a hefty bill. This close encounter left a lasting impression on McHale, prompting him to consider how the situation could have been handled better if Roscoe had been able to communicate the problem. This line of thinking led to the creation of Shazam.

Communicate!

Indeed, the device is named Shazam, yet it bears no connection to the famous superhero films or the popular music identification app sharing its title. Embedded with both a microphone and a speaker, Shazam (designed for pets) is capable of picking up your voice and replying with a voice of its own. The concept behind this is to create an illusion for pet owners that they are engaging in dialogue with their animals, whereas in reality, they are interacting with a programmed chatbot within the collar.

"McHale begins by describing the foundation of their approach as focusing on the conditions of existence. They gather a wide array of data concerning humans, pets, and the environment. These constantly evolving variables serve as the inputs for what they have named the cognitive cortex. This system, constructed by them, leverages machine learning and extensive data collections."

Creating an immersive environment for your pet is an expensive endeavor. Prices for the collars begin at $495 for cats and $595 for dogs. Additionally, there are annual subscription costs—$195 for both cat and "ultra" collars, or $295 for the BrainBoost feature, which, according to a spokesperson from Shazam, activates the collar's ability to exhibit advanced traits such as empathy, logical thinking, social and self-awareness. These subscription charges are waived for the initial year but will automatically continue at the end of that period. Without subscribing to BrainBoost, the device reverts to a standard voice and loses its enhanced capabilities, meaning maintaining the premium experience requires an ongoing annual payment of $295 after enjoying the first year for free.

You can currently place preorders for the collars, although the manufacturer has stated that deliveries will not begin until February 2025. (This adds another item to the lineup of AI-equipped wearables that require payment upfront but won’t be in your hands until the following year, similar to devices such as the AI Friend necklace.)

Shazam for pets does more than just make it seem like your pet can talk; it offers a range of safety features that would be invaluable for any pet owner. Equipped with a microphone and sensors, the collar can identify the presence of rattlesnakes by detecting the unique sound of their rattles, or alert you if your pet has been lost or stolen. You'll receive an immediate notification or message if there's an issue with your pet. Furthermore, the collar monitors your pet's daily habits, such as the time it usually eats, and can alert you if it misses a meal by prompting a voice reminder. However, it's important to weigh these benefits against the privacy implications of having your pet wear a collar that's constantly listening. Nevertheless, the enhanced safety and health monitoring provided by this smart collar present a compelling case for its use.

However, the main attraction of Personifi is its chatbots.

The term "chatbot" might not be the most accurate description. Instead of employing an AI-generated voice, such as the ones produced by Eleven Labs, Shazam will utilize entirely pre-recorded voice clips. There are 27 distinct characters available, each featuring a unique character trait and voiced by a professional actor. You pick a character for your pet's collar during the initial setup. Should you decide to switch to a different character at any point, a fee of $99 will be incurred.

Personifi reveals that every character voice features approximately 8,000 lines of dialogue, with intentions to expand this number based on demand. This volume of dialogue suggests that the voices from Shazam's pet accessories resemble those of a video game non-player character rather than the adaptive conversations of a chatbot. McHale mentions that vocal synthesis is probably on its way to the platform, allowing the collar to, for instance, remark on the live score of a football match while you're viewing it on television.

The character voices are reminiscent of Dr. Dolittle, engaging in witty banter and humorous exchanges. The range of personalities varies from playful and charming to puzzling and irritating. Interestingly, all the characters are represented by human avatar images on the platform. Among the personas, you have Bella, portrayed by Shazam as a young girl, characterized by labels such as "affectionate," "charming," and "playful." Another character is Dr. Gates, depicted as a cheerful male scientist wearing a lab coat, with descriptors like "child-friendly," "Nobel laureate," and "specialist in pediatric oncology." Essentially, these are the typical traits you'd associate with pets.

McHale mentions that the characters were designed to provide diversity while also matching the typical personality traits that individuals often attribute to their pets.

"McHale notes, "We've thoroughly examined the market. It's remarkable – nearly everyone has a sense of their pet's character."

In the application, there's an extensive range of customization options available for these characters. You have the ability to adjust their talkativeness and tone down their sense of humor through various settings. Furthermore, these settings offer the opportunity to explore profound existential themes with your virtual companion. You're able to define its core principles, such as empathy, fairness, and bravery. It's possible to configure its spiritual beliefs, capacity for forgiveness, and views on liberty, destiny, and fate. You can also shape its perspective on political matters and broader issues like globalism. The level of personalization is astonishingly comprehensive, though it remains somewhat ambiguous how these adjustments will influence your virtual pet's behavior, especially when it's pleading to be let outside for a bathroom break.

During a virtual meeting via Zoom, McHale demonstrated the Shazam collar for me. The device was worn by Roscoe—a brown Labrador who has survived a rattlesnake bite and is undeniably a good dog—as he was in a room with McHale along with some colleagues from Personifi. A person looking after Roscoe offered him treats while talking to him, and the collar responded using the voice of Bobby Johnson, also known as The RxckStxr, a voiceover professional.

"Roscoe, what's your condition?" inquires the handler.

"As if I'm able to consume an entire gallon of water," replies Roscoe's collar.

"Ah, so that's the reason you're not keen on running after squirrels, pal. You've been without water the whole day. We should've been more attentive. Regardless, you're still my beloved Roscoe."

Roscoe suggests, "Why don't we take a stroll and you can share with me all the reasons you adore me."

While it's enjoyable, Roscoe's actions don't really align with his words. From my perspective, it seems like Roscoe isn't too concerned about drinking water. His attention is primarily on the snacks available in the space. Had he been able to express his desires verbally at that time, he probably would have conveyed, “I notice there's a snack here. I would like you to give it to me immediately.”

Certain situations are more effective than the rest. In a different instance, they engage in a game of tug-of-war with Roscoe. The sensors in the collar are able to detect that playtime is underway, leading Roscoe's whimsical "voice" to declare, “Go ahead and clear your schedule, I’m ready for this to last all day!” This is accompanied by a series of playful grunts and growls.

Feline Dialogue

The built-in selection of pre-recorded messages in the collar might work well for representing the straightforward and bold characters of many dogs. However, when it comes to cats, the intended secondary users, the situation is quite different. Engaging in the type of discussions necessary to truly comprehend your young cat proves to be more complex.

Daniel Quagliozzi, known as "DQ," is a specialist in cat behavior and training, operating a consultation service called Go Cat Go in San Francisco. He points out that there's a common misinterpretation of cats' needs. Additionally, he suggests that a speaking collar may not solve the communication gap between cats and humans, assuming cats are even agreeable to wearing such a device.

Quagliozzi realistically points out that the collar would likely be constantly expressing a desire to have it removed, using more explicit language.

Attempting to decipher your pet's needs can be challenging enough, and equipping them with a voice device that interprets and vocalizes their feelings based on a sensor-equipped collar's readings might not be the most effective method to understand them.

Chances are, you've come across those popular Instagram videos showcasing dogs hitting buttons that play particular sentences. The idea is that these dogs are picking up ways to converse with their humans. However, what's likely happening is that the dogs are learning to press the buttons that elicit the strongest response (or promise of snacks) from their human, rather than grasping the specific meaning of each button. The dilemma with Shazam for pets is quite similar. Animals don't have a deep understanding of human speech, just as we often struggle to interpret their barks and noises.

"McHale emphasizes that the primary advantage of the bond is for the person involved. He explains that everything, including aspects designed to enhance well-being, centers around the human. Now, individuals have a sense of security and a deeper comprehension regarding their pets, he notes."

Even the most advanced chatbots, including those driven by large language models (LLMs), don't genuinely grasp the meaning of your words. They excel at producing replies that create the illusion of understanding. Similarly, when such technology is used to simulate the voice of a living animal, your pet is also unable to comprehend the significance. Although your pet may hear the voice as you do, it doesn't recognize it as expressing its own thoughts or desires. Instead, it perceives the voice as coming from another being altogether, albeit one that sounds nearer to its ears than normal.

McHale imagines a scenario where dogs equipped with Shazam-like collars encounter each other at a dog park. As they interact through sniffs and barks, a few chatbots with human-like voices would be conversing from their collars. Quagliozzi, however, is concerned about the negative aspects of attributing voices to pets. He is apprehensive that this trend could escalate into a proliferation of social media content that owners believe is harmless but could actually be detrimental to their felines.

Quagliozzi expresses a constant struggle with individuals who exploit their cats for entertainment or comedic content. He is particularly concerned with those who frighten their cats or create humor by predicting their reactions to distressing situations. Assigning silly cartoon voices to them or similar actions, he believes, could easily spiral out of control.

The commendable aspects of the Shazam collar, especially those aimed at ensuring the safety and welfare of pets, deserve recognition. The ability to detect a rattlesnake attack could potentially save lives. Moreover, if a dog playfully nudging its owner with a reminder like “Hey buddy, it’s time for food!” ensures they get fed on time, then it's all for the best. However, equipping your dog's collar with a chatbot is unlikely to strengthen your bond.

The desire to comprehend your pet's needs is a common feeling. However, there are more effective methods to ensure their well-being than expecting them to communicate in human language. The most meaningful interaction you can have with your pet involves connecting with them on their terms, rather than hoping for them to respond with clever quips.

Quagliozzi explains, "Our goal is to constantly enhance, even if it's just by a slight amount. This desire is similar to our wish for robots, AI companions, and such. At the core, humans experience loneliness and seek connection."

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