Woof! Indiegogo project aims to translate dogs’ thoughts into words
A new project posted on crowdfunding website Indiegogo is hoping to bring man and his best friend closer together with a device that can read a dog’s thoughts and turn them into words.
The Nordic Society of Inventions and Discovery is working on a wearable canine mind-reading device it calls No More Woof. The group says No More Woof will be able to read dogs’ brainwaves, interpret their thoughts, translate them into a human language and say them out loud through a built-in speaker.
It’s unclear if No More Woof is a legitimate project. Pranksters have been known to take to Indiegogo to post projects they never intend to make. But it appears many people believe or want the wearable dog device to be real.
PHOTOS: The top 10 tech gadgets of 2013
Already, more than 50 users have committed money to No More Woof, bringing the project’s current funding to about $5,000. No More Woof will be listed on Indiegogo for about two more months, so it will probably blow way past its goal of $10,000.
“During the last decade huge discoveries have been made to map out the human brain’s functions,” No More Woof’s Indiegogo page reads. “But never before has anyone made a serious attempt to apply this groundbreaking technology on man’s best friend.”
If the project seems far-fetched, it’s because it’s still in its very early days. The group makes sure to let potential backers know that this is the very first edition of No More Woof.
“Right now we are only scraping the surface of possibilities; the project is only in its cradle,” the No More Woof page says. “And to be completely honest, the first version will be quite rudimentary. But hey, the first computer was pretty crappy too.”
And so far the results are pretty basic too.
“Among the patterns we have found are ‘I’m Tired,’ ‘I’m Hungry’ and the clearly intense brain activity when a dog sees a new face: ‘Who ARE you?’” the No More Woof page says.
Donors are asked to contribute $65, for which they will get the No More Woof Micro, which can distinguish two to three thought patterns and should be delivered to customers by April.
ALSO:
Go Christmas caroling with Google’s karaoke-like mobile app
Facebook can see what users type even if status is not posted
LG unveils Chromebase, an all-in-one Google Chrome OS desktop
