If Dr Dolittle can't make animals talk in this day and age, perhaps Japanese toy maker Takara can.
The company unveiled this week a new gadget, called Bowlingual, which can scrutinise and translate a dog's bark into expressions, such as "I've had enough" or "I'm a little bored, let's play."
The gizmo was tested on a dog at the Tokyo Toy Show, an annual event featuring electronic games, collectibles and dolls from all over the world. The four-day event ends Sunday.
Bowlingual consists of a wireless microphone, to be attached to the collar, and a terminal which analyzes and matches each "woof" with a set of pre-programmed phrases.
The device detects feelings--including happiness, frustration and sadness--and display the associated expressions on the terminal's screen, Takara said in a statement.
It can also be used to record emotional data from the dog throughout the day--this is for busy owners who want to know how their canine friends spend their time alone at home.
A prototype was first unveiled last August to help dog owners better comprehend their pets. It carries a recommended retail price of 12,800 yen (US$100) but the company could not confirm commercial availability.
It is not known if Takara is adapting the device for cat owners.
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I have an even better animal translation invention. If anyone is interested drop me a line.