Basil's Baby" watercolor © Drew Strouble

Monday, February 4, 2008



Japan invents 'cat chat' device
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Ever wondered what your cat is trying to tell you? A Japanese company hopes to solve this conundrum with a new toy that seeks to interpret your pet's meows.
Following Takeda Co's successful launch of Bowlingual - which does the same thing for dogs - Meowlingual is due to be rolled out in November.

A palm-sized electronic console is held next to the cat in question, and an interpretation of its cries and purrs is displayed on the screen.

Meowlingual translates the cat's emotion into phrases such as "I can't stand it," according to the Associated Press, although exact wording has not been decided.

The device will be priced at 8,800 yen (about $74), less than the 14,800 yen charged for Bowlingual.

Takara has sold about 300,000 of the dog-translation devices in the last six months and plans to launch a English-language version in the US in August.

Bowlingual claims to be able to interpret about 200 phrases or words - grouped in six different emotional categories: fun, frustration, menace, sorrow, demand and self-expression.

Source : BBC

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