Scientists have developed an AI tool that can translate dog barks (woofs, whines, or growls) into English.
Have you ever wished you could understand what your dog is saying? Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), this could soon become a reality.
This tool uses AI to analyze dog barking sounds and identify dog breeds. (Illustrative image).
Based on a database of over 200 minutes of barking from 74 dogs in various cities in Mexico, test results show that the AI tool can successfully distinguish between different types of responses, including angry barking at a dangerous stranger and normal growls at someone they do not know.
Specifically, this tool uses AI to analyze the sound of barking, identifying the dog breed, the dog’s emotions, and even the dog’s intentions. It then translates this information into English, helping dog owners understand their pets’ needs and desires.
By helping dog owners gain a better understanding of their animals, this device can help minimize frustration, anxiety, and even the abandonment of pets.
The tool is still under development, but scientists hope it will be available on the market in the coming years. Pricing and availability details have not yet been announced.
The integrated AI bot within the tool is called Wav2Vec 2.0, which can accurately identify dog breeds, primarily Chihuahuas, poodles, and schnauzers, through their barking.
Researcher Rada Mihalcea suggests that this tool could be trained on other species such as birds and dolphins. “This is the first time techniques optimized for human speech have been built to help decode animal communication. The results show that sounds and patterns derived from human speech can serve as a foundation for analyzing and understanding the sound patterns of other sounds, such as animal calls.”
