The Inupathy Dog Harness Promises to Be FitBit and a Mood Ring
The harness will be demonstrated at this year's J-Pop Summit.
Ever stare at your dog’s blank face and wonder what could possibly be going through its mind? A Japanese company called Inupathy will show off a dog harness at the J-Pop Summit in San Francisco on July 23 that gives owners more data on their companion’s emotions.
It’s just one of many pet wearables on the market today that are used as GPS devices, remote electric fences, and helpful training tools that make up the ever growing internet of things marketplace.
Once strapped on the harness for Inupathy (“insight” + “empathy”), it starts reading the dog’s heart rate and displays different colors based on its mood: red for excited, blue for relaxed, white for concentrating, and a rainbow spectrum for happy.
The harness turns to blue when your dog is relaxed.
The whole thing syncs up to a smartphone app (because what doesn’t these days) and delivers information about the dog’s health, kind of like a FitBit. The app also allows owners to go into “play mode” and suggests exercises that will best complement the pet’s mood.
Joji Yamaguchi says he invented the device and tried it out first on his corgi named Akane.
“I wanted to know what makes him stressed and how i can make him more relaxed,” Yamaguchi says in a promotional video. “It gives us a lot of insights over dogs and a lot of hints about what they’re feeling.”
Joji Yamaguchi sits with his dog Akane.
The collar will run you a pretty steep $200, but a human Apple Watch that also reads your heart rate but doesn’t project your mood runs a cool $300.
Inupathy will be just one of the companies at J-Pop summit hoping to impress Silicon Valley types with culturally inspired gadgets. The summit kicks off on July 22 and runs through the weekend at the Regency Ballroom and Fort Mason Center in San Francisco.
The weekend is filled with visual artists displaying their art, J-Pop musicians performing highly choreographed routines, and a number of tech panels, discussions, and pitch sessions.
For tickets and a full schedule visit the event’s web page.
