Dogs. They’ve been a part of the world for untold eons and have been “man’s best friend” for more than likely much of that time. But fast forward to now, and dogs are an indispensable part of our lives. They’re pets; they’re friends; they’re protectors; they partner in fighting crime, etc. We’ve honored dogs in many ways over the years, including putting them as the star of movies, making them the mascots of sports teams, and putting them in video games. But dogs themselves can’t play video games as we humans can, which is sad. However, a company in Joipaw is making a console that may change things.
The company behind this console was not founded by “crazy people” but by two dog lovers and scientists, Dersim Advar and Marco Jenny. The concept behind Joipaw’s idea is simple. They want to provide games that dogs can play via a touchscreen that will interact with them physically and mentally. The games will “stimulate” them to be more active as they play.
The goal for the console is fundamental. When you’re not with your dog, what do they do? It’s straightforward to see them wandering around and lying down all day, but that’s not always healthy for dogs. By giving them a simple video game, they’re broadening their horizons and getting them active when they wouldn’t have much to excite them otherwise.
But it goes beyond that in the founder’s minds. They feel that by playing these video games, the dog will keep their brain in top cognitive form, which can help prevent them from getting dementia later on in life.
Another benefit is that the dogs will be rewarded for playing video games. The touch screen will allow them to play through simple touch via their nose or paws. Then, if they complete the game, they’ll get a treat! Not just that, the system will alert the owner should something go wrong with the dog or if “abnormal behavior” is detected.
Here’s what their website has to say about things:
“Our company offers a holistic approach to preventative dog health care. We combine both cognitive and physical stimulation in the form of a dog-tailored console, a wearable and a software platform which allows you to track your dog’s health indicators.”
Is the idea a little too “out there”? Who can say? We’ve never seen something like this before, so why not let it have a shot at changing things?
Source: VGC