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Invoxia uses small radars to monitor resting respiratory and heart rate.
Invoxia.
At the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show, Invoxia will show a new smart collar that can monitor your dog's vital signs. The smart collar can also be used to track your dog's activity.
A combination of accelerometers and gps sensors is what canine fitness trackers rely on. Invoxia has a different approach. The same type of radar used in thePixel 4 phones is used by Invoxia to monitor vitals like resting respiratory and heart rate. The radars are ideal for taking readings regardless of how furry your dog is.
The radar that faces the neck sends a radio signal, but it won't be reflected by the hair. The first layer of skin will reflect the fur or hair on it. The radar will be able to detect the speed and movement of the skin. The heart and respiratory rate are determined by those movements.
The collar can sit more comfortably around the dog's neck, which is another plus. That is not the case with the fitness trackers humans use, which require a tighter fit and good skin contact to get accurate heart rate readings.
There are other pet tech that tracks dog vital signs. There are also continuous heart rate monitoring vests, as well as the Petpace Smart Collar. Those are more for veterinarians than regular pet owners. Good luck if you have a dog with a lot of movement on your hands. The Invoxia collar is the only one that combines a traditional gps tracker with a non-destructive way to monitor vitals. It has a built-in buzzer and is compatible with a number of internet protocols.
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Invoxia says it has four years of data from its original gps pet tracker. The collar can be used to track your dog's daily activity, as well as monitor vitals. If your dog likes running around in the mud, it has a fabric covering that can be removed for easier cleaning.
The Invoxia collar will mostly focus on the baseline of your dog. Even though some dogs may be more prone to heart or respiratory conditions, continuous vital monitoring on dogs hasn't been possible at a large enough scale. With more data, that may be a possibility.
Invoxia says that it could be useful for pets post-surgery, monitoring how pets respond to medication, or for keeping an eye on those with known cardiac and respiratory illnesses. She said that owners notice something is wrong with their pets too late. Pets have a baseline that may help owners and vets catch illnesses early.
There is a catch. Medium to large-sized dogs are the only ones who will be eligible for the Invoxia collar. It is difficult to miniaturize the radar tech to a size that would be comfortable and lightweight for smaller pets. If you put a large tracker on a small dog, size and comfort make a huge difference.
The collar is expected to be available in summer 2022. It will cost an estimated $99 for the collar and an additional $12.99 a month for the gps features.
