Wearable tech is a hot topic – and not just for humans. Just as wearables have become increasingly popular in the healthcare industry, they have also started to create quite the buzz in veterinary medicine and pet care.
This comes as no surprise as people today tend to spoil their pets more than ever before, loving and caring for them as if they were a member of the family. If humans can get fancy gadgets to improve their healthcare, it stands to reason that pets can do the same.
This article will take a look at some of the current trends in wearable tech for animals, as well as future trends and precautions to take when dealing with the data risks that come with these new technologies.
Current Trends in Wearable Tech for Animals
Advances in technology have now made pet and animal care easier than ever. With some of the latest tech trends, pet owners and animal caregivers can more easily monitor their pet’s health, behaviors, eating habits, and location. Let’s take a look at some of the current wearable tech for animals that are trending.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Training
AI has been around for some time now, but it has only recently started gaining in popularity as advances in tech have made AI more accessible and accurate. Numerous industries use various kinds of AI-powered software and systems that use machine learning to make decisions and predictions that mimic human thought.
Now, a company is using this tech to create state-of-the-art, AI dog training systems. Although this tech is not wearable and is not available yet, it will be soon and is worth mentioning. It consists of an AI-powered treat dispenser that analyzes a dog’s movements and behaviors to determine whether it should be rewarded with a treat. It can recognize movements such as sitting and lying down. When the dog obeys a command, they get a treat.
Monitors and Biosensors
Wearable monitors and sensors are one of the most popular tech tools being used for pets and animals such as livestock. These monitors are equipped with biosensors that can track things like vitals, food intake, and activity levels. Wearable sensors for animal health management are quickly becoming commonplace due to their ease and helpfulness.
Some of these wearables work like a general health monitor to help pet owners and their vets keep better track of the animal’s overall health, and some are meant to help with very specific things – like tracking exercise and food intake for weight management.
Some biosensors and monitors are specifically being developed for livestock development to help farmers and animal caretakers keep better track of the health of their animals on a larger scale. This can help prevent disease and enhance overall animal welfare to ensure healthier livestock.
E-textiles
Purdue University has recently been working on wearable tech to help manage horse health. They have developed a horse blanket using an e-textile made with nanotechnology that can monitor a horse’s cardiac, muscular, and respiratory systems. This form of technology is making waves because it makes use of textiles and patterns that already exist. Then, it simply infuses them with technology to make them double as both a garment and a health monitor.
Ingestibles
Some sensors aren’t just worn on the outside but can be ingested to get an even more accurate analysis of what is going on internally. For example, some of the ingestibles are being used on cows to catch disease or anticipate heats, which allows for higher insemination success rates. Being able to obtain this kind of big data on animals is providing new insights and completely changing the world of animal care.
Location Trackers
Wearable tech with GPS tracking is another trend that is starting to gain traction with pet owners. Wearable ID tags, for example, can track a pet’s movements so the owner can know where they are at all times. This can also be used to keep track of livestock to prevent animals from getting lost when they have vast amounts of land to roam.
Future Trends in Wearable Tech
With wearable technology constantly advancing, the future of animal care will forever be changed. We are already seeing significant advances made in human health with wearables, such as predicting and preventing genetic disease, better vital monitoring, and even smart glasses improving eyesight. It’s only a matter of time before animal wearables become more advanced as well.
Already, one company is working on a form of high-tech wearable that can interpret a dog’s brain waves to give pet owners a better idea of what their dog is thinking. Some even think we might be able to turn a dog’s bark into human speech.
Wearable Tech Risks
It’s important to note that while these new forms of advanced technology are improving the lives of humans and pets, they also come with certain risks – primarily, data security risks. The basis of wearable tech is that it is capable of analyzing and sharing large amounts of data to make pet care and healthcare more efficient. Doing this, however, does put pet owners and veterinary offices at higher risk of having healthcare data exposed.
While wearable tech is something pet owners, animal caretakers, and veterinarians should be utilizing, it’s also important for them to be mindful of the security risks. If you are using a wearable monitor for your pet that shares data with your phone and your vet’s office, for example, you should make sure that the software is protected and is not leaving you vulnerable to a cyber-attack or data breach.
Wrapping Up
As a whole, wearable tech is not something to be afraid of. This technology can help you take better care of your pets and other animals to improve their lives and yours. For example, being able to spot health issues before they become a major problem can save you money and help you get your pet the care they need before it’s too late.
With wearable tech, there is no telling what will eventually be possible for the future of animal healthcare. If it’s anything like what is already happening in human health, however, it will greatly improve our lives and the lives of our pets.
