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Pet Translator: Scientist Developing Device To Convert Dog Barks Into English Language
Tech Times ^ | 15 January 2018 | Allan Adamson Tech Times Russian Army unveils secret weapon: puppie

Posted on 01/17/2018 5:11:05 PM PST by nickcarraway

The idea of humans being able to talk to and understand animals may soon become a reality. A researcher is working on a device that may be used as a pet language translator in the future.

Using artificial intelligence, scientists learn how to translate vocalizations and facial expressions of animals into something that humans can understand.

Animal behavior expert Con Slobodchikoff is one of these researchers whose work may allow pets and their owners to effectively converse with each other using a pet translator in less than ten years.

Slobodchikoff, from Northern Arizona University, has studied footage of dogs engaged in a range of behaviors including growling, barking and howling, and used AI to understand how these animals communicate.

He hopes that with the help of machine learning, computers can help humans understand what a particular gesture of pets such as the wagging of the tail, or growling really means.

The researcher has been studying North American prairie dogs for 30 years. He found that the animals have their own language system that conveys complicated instructions and commands.

The rodents also use calls that alert members of their group of incoming threats. Interestingly, these warnings include specific information about the predator such as its size and coat color.

Pet Translator Working with a computer scientist, Slobodchikoff developed an algorithm that converted the prairie dog's vocalizations into English. He has since expanded his work to include studying the behaviors and barkings of dogs.

In 2017, he founded the Zoolingua company to develop a similar tool he used to understand the prairie dog's vocalization to translate facials expressions, sounds and body movements of pets.

"If we can do this with prairie dogs, we can certainly do it with dogs and cats," the animal expert said.

Slobodchikoff studies videos of dogs showing different barks and body movements. He plans to use this to teach an AI algorithm about the communication signals used by animals.

The work is still at an early stage but this could pave way for animals and humans having more effective communication in just ten years. Slobodchikoff wants to use scientific research based on careful experiments to decipher the meaning of a dog's behavior.

Slobodchikoff's ultimate goal is to create a device that humans can pinpoint at a dog to translate barks and woofs into English words. If this becomes possible, humans will be able to know exactly what their pets want and would be more capable of dealing with animals in the future.


TOPICS: Hobbies; Pets/Animals; Science
KEYWORDS: dogs; english; language; sheilajacksonlee; slobodchikoff
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To: nickcarraway

ruh roh


21 posted on 01/17/2018 5:20:24 PM PST by mkmensinger
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To: fini

Let’s go for a ride. Put the window down. Faster! She’s cute — can I hump her leg a while? Food! Food! Mmmm, this smells good...can I eat it? Can I roll in this?


22 posted on 01/17/2018 5:21:48 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: huckfillary

You would have to move to Nova Scotia?

Are you sure the Belgians would let you in?


23 posted on 01/17/2018 5:22:15 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Ciaphas Cain

Is this from New Yorker? Please reveal!


24 posted on 01/17/2018 5:23:11 PM PST by dennisw (The strong take from the weak, but the smart take from the strong)
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To: nickcarraway

Hilarious from Sat Night Live...the dog is a Trump supporter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfCCwEf_J5A


25 posted on 01/17/2018 5:23:55 PM PST by garandgal
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To: dennisw

From The Far Side comic strip that Gary Larson uses to do.


26 posted on 01/17/2018 5:24:01 PM PST by Ciaphas Cain (Liberalism, as with all else evil, can never create. It can only corrupt.)
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To: huckfillary

I lost my Rufus (Basset Hound) a few years back. Happy & healthy up until his massive stroke at age 15. :(

I adopted two Basset Sisters this past summer, Belle and Pearl. They’re awesome...and a lot LESS stubborn than my intact male was, that’s for sure!

Love the breed. I’ve also had a number of Labradors. The Basset would bring me things like Labs do, as he was raised from a Pup with the Labs.

Good memories. Thanks! :)


27 posted on 01/17/2018 5:24:26 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Ciaphas Cain

tanks ! ! !


28 posted on 01/17/2018 5:25:51 PM PST by dennisw (The strong take from the weak, but the smart take from the strong)
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To: huckfillary

We have a Basset Hound nearby. I think they use him to hunt Giraffes.

You can tell when a Basset Hound is “talking”.

My dogs look at each other and say, “What the heck was that?”


29 posted on 01/17/2018 5:26:16 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: nickcarraway
I don't think anything will help these dogs:


30 posted on 01/17/2018 5:26:35 PM PST by capydick (“Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face.)
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To: garandgal

Now that was funny and since I never watch SNL I would not have seen it thanks for posting.


31 posted on 01/17/2018 5:33:04 PM PST by MomwithHope (Law and Order and that includes Natural.)
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To: nickcarraway

FOOD FOOD FOOD

WALK WALK WALK

CAT CAT CAT

Bite the Dhimmicrat!


32 posted on 01/17/2018 5:34:32 PM PST by Darteaus94025 (Can't have a Liberal without a Lie)
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To: nickcarraway

Who cares what the DOG is saying... I want a translator that TELLS the dog what I AM Saying!


33 posted on 01/17/2018 5:37:27 PM PST by JustTheTruth
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To: nickcarraway

This researcher probably has a FLSDMFR prototype, Hair Unbalder and the Monkey Thought Translator


34 posted on 01/17/2018 5:38:06 PM PST by pangaea6
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To: nickcarraway
"The rodents also use calls that alert members of their group of incoming threats. Interestingly, these warnings include specific information about the predator such as its size and coat color."

"Barry! Big brown coyote! 6 o'clock!"

I remain skeptical about the accuracy of his translations.

35 posted on 01/17/2018 5:39:01 PM PST by Flag_This (Liberals are locusts.)
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To: nickcarraway

They will be voting Democrat once this happens


36 posted on 01/17/2018 5:39:59 PM PST by HereInTheHeartland (I don't want better government; I want much less of it.)
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To: nickcarraway

I do not need a translator to know what every bark, whine, or groan means from my dogs.


37 posted on 01/17/2018 5:40:08 PM PST by chris37 (Take a week off racist >;-)
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To: blueunicorn6

> I’m sorry, but I have a hard time believing research from an “expert” named Con Slapyerdikoff. <

At least his name wasn’t Johann Gambolputty.

Full name: Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle- dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser- kurstlich-himbleeisen-bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle- gerspurten-mitz-weimache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönedanker-kalbsfleisch- mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm.

(Bonus points to anyone who recognizes that name from an old Monty Python skit.)


38 posted on 01/17/2018 5:40:18 PM PST by Leaning Right (I have already previewed or do not wish to preview this composition.)
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To: nickcarraway

39 posted on 01/17/2018 5:41:06 PM PST by DouglasKC
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To: nickcarraway

My dog carries on a conversation. He looks you right in the eye and moves his mouth and everything. I just pretend I know what he is saying.

It’s really funny when you have friends over and he tries to join the conversation


40 posted on 01/17/2018 5:41:27 PM PST by McGavin999 ("The press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood."Thomas Jefferson)
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