Though this tech has been taking off in fitness trackers and smartwatches, it’s also coming out for animals.
It has been declared, many times over, that 2014 is the year of wearable technology, but this doesn’t mean that humans will be the only ones to benefit from these mobile devices and what they have to offer.
Smartwatches such as Pebble and Galaxy Gear 2, and fitness trackers like Fitbit are just the beginning.
As was already reported by QR Code Press, there is now wearable technology for dogs in the form of fitness tracking collars. Of course, pets aren’t the only animals that are kept and need to be monitored. The company behind the Silent Herdsman (which was previously known as Embedded Technology Systems), has now developed a collar for cows and has generated £3 million in investment money to help to bring it – and a range of associated services – to farmers in every part of the globe.
This wearable technology will help farmers to be able to better track their cows, improving care and productivity.
Instead of alerting you about a text message that you have received, or how many calories your dog has burned on its latest walk, the Silent Herdsman collar is built with a number of different sensors that continually provide tracking for the cow that is wearing it. Should there be a change in the usual behavior pattern of that animal, then the farmer will receive an alert on his or her computer, phone, or tablet.
For instance, Silent Herdsman claims that its mobile devices are able to detect when a cow wearing the collar has gone in “heat”, that is, when she has entered into the estrous cycle and is at the point in which she is most likely to become pregnant.
The company has also explained that this wearable technology can help to monitor the overall health of the animal. By better understanding each individual, it means that the farmer is better able to care for that animal, improving the quality of life and, therefore, the milk yields and consequently the profitability for the farmers who own and raise them.
