Remote vibration controller for rescue dogs?

A research team at Ben Gurion University in Israel has created a remote control that allows dogs to receive commands or signals silently using a vibration controller.

Police dogs and search dogs take on dangerous duties instead of humans or act as partners together. Dogs are faithful and trained to receive instructions, such as whistling, specific phrases, and hand signals. But what a dog can react to is limited to seeing and hearing signals. Depending on the confined environment, such signaling may become difficult.

What the research team made is to vibrate in several patterns. Instead of giving commands to dogs working in situations where it is difficult for humans to enter with a loudspeaker or loud whistle, they developed a lightweight mesh material tactile feedback device equipped with a vibration motor at the sides and back of the dog. As a result of the actual tests, we trained to know specific commands such as turning or lying down and retreating according to the difference in the vibration motor position and duration. Dogs are said to be able to receive orders even when humans are not in front of them. It is said that it responds to vibration commands more quickly than human voices and can be learned in about an hour per command.

With this technology, it is also possible to remotely command a dog by attaching a camera to a dog searching for a place that is too dangerous for humans. However, the study does not only benefit dogs working in dangerous situations. In addition to animals with impaired vision or hearing or numbness, there is also the potential to improve the lives of physically challenged dog owners. Related information can be found here .