In response to this article, we created a page, “Pets and Other Animals Interacting With Robotic Virtual Pets and Other Robots“, pulling together several sources of information on interactions between real pets, wildlife, birds, and other animals with robotic animals and similar devices. It includes several very interesting videos, scientific research, and anecdotal evidence.

The system has GEO fencing capabilities (your dog boundaries can be defined on a map) and is also available with a horse collar attachment. One feature is telling your dog to stop barking without yelling at them from a distance. You can just talk to them.

One hand controller can control up to 14 different pets.

We find it interesting the way electronics are working their way back over to actual pet applications.

They mention burial of pets is not an option in some locations, or you may move on later. Pet preservation is presented as a comforting alternative to burial or cremation.

The process is also called Freeze Dried Taxidermy. Some people just take their pet to the local taxidermist, but they use standard forms to mount most wild animals and those do not seem to “fit” pets into realistic behaviors.

Pets must be frozen shortly after death and then shipped to the site. The process takes several months.

Again, not a true virtual pet, but another example of something in the middle.

A dog’s bark is picked up from a small microphone on his collar and echoed to the main device (using a process called Sound Forwarding), the sound is analyzed, and the voice translation is displayed on the screen.

Dr. Norio Kogure, director of Kogure Animal Hospital, provided expert advice on animal behavior. Sounds are divided into six categories: happy, sad, frustrated, angry, assertion, and desire. You can even record your dogs emotions while you are gone.

Bowlingual has a datanalysis feature that compiles information on your dog over time to improve communication, and form a “doggie diary.”

It allows you to enter the dog’s name, breed, gender and birth date to improve the translation. In addition it provides training tips, offers health advice, and includes a timer.

Bowlingual was later sold in an English version in the U.S. for about $120.

With Bowlingual being a big hit, Takara followed up with a similar product for cats. Meowlingual was announced in a 1 December 2003 press release.

Bowlingual was a tremendous success in Japan and received and almost unbelievable amount of publicity in the United States. Millions of people own dogs and were fascinated with the concept of a device interpreting their barks. Hundreds of publications ran brief articles about the device when it was first released.

We are still working on our efforts to write a history of virtual pets. As part of that effort we are trying to understand how all the different types fit in with one another, with real life and with other things that may have influenced them. Bowlingual and Meowlingual play an interesting role, as they are two of the few objects to go back the other way. They use small handheld electronic devices very reminiscent of keychain virtual pets to interact with real life, vs. real life interacting with a virtual pet.