Researcher Builds Bird "Fembot" to Study Mating

The male sage-grouse isn’t too picky about mates. Researchers have observed the bird trying to woo unusual objects — even cow patties in the field.

Now the males are duped by researcher Gail Patricelli’s bird robot, which is fairly convincing despite the wheels instead of legs. Patricelli is using the feathered fembot to learn about mating rituals of the greater sage-grouse.

While 90 percent of birds are monogamous, the sage-grouse falls into the 10 percent with a polar opposite strategy. They try to mate with as many females as possible.

With the robot, Patricelli can “get into a two-way interaction with the male.”

“It allows us to answer questions that would be impossible to answer without a robot,” Patricelli said.

Patricelli’s robot, equipped with a small microphone and video camera, will record the males’ behavior from the female’s point of view. “It allows us to get inside a real female’s head basically — to see what she sees and hear what she hears when she’s being courted,” Patricelli said.

Patricelli tested the robot prototype in Wyoming last spring.
“The males liked her quite well,” Patricelli said.

The prototype, about the size of a football with a tail, is still a little bigger than an actual female sage-grouse. The robot is nicknamed “Mama Cass” for her rotund figure. Patricelli will continue tweaking the design to make it more compact.

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US Navy to use dolphins for security

The US Navy wants to bolster security at a west coast military base by deploying dozens of dolphins and sea lions trained to detect and intercept waterborne attackers.

	Coalition forces trained dolphins for mine clearing

The mammals would scour the sea for risks and alert officials to terrorist swimmers and divers targeting Kitsap-Bangor naval base near Seattle.

The navy is examining several options to step up security at the base, but the favourite plan would involve sending around 30 California sea lions and Atlantic bottlenose dolphins from the Navy's Marine Mammal Programme, based in San Diego.

When it detects someone in the water, a navy dolphin drops a beacon which alerts an interception team to the swimmer's location.

Sea lions, meanwhile, carry special cuffs attached to long ropes in their mouths to "arrest" rogue swimmers.

Fat to slim cat

According to Ananova, a former fat cat has become the UK pet slimmer of the year after ditching his American lifestyle.

Nine-year-old Willie shed 2kg (4.4lb) on a strict diet and lots of exercise, reports the BBC.

Owner Helen Ebrahim said the turning point was moving from the USA to Pembrokeshire three years ago.

"He went to the vet regularly in the States but they would just say 'he's big' and that was the end of that," said Ms Ebrahim, of Manorbier.

"When I brought to him to the vets here they asked if I heard about the weight loss programme. As well as the diet he plays outdoors and we have at least 15 minutes of active play a day.

Streetwear clothes for dogs

The Prism is a swiss design boutique that aims at worked out superb streetwear clothes for dogs and their owners.

The Dog Bio Security system

An Israeli firm has designed a security system to ensure jailbreakers or intruders find a guard dog's bark can indeed be worse than its bite.

Harnessing technology that interprets barking -- to see if an animal is responding to a threat instead of just routinely woofing -- Bio-Sense Technologies aims to replace or supplement expensive electronic surveillance systems.

The company used computers to analyze 350 barks and found dogs of all breeds and sizes barked the same alarm when they sensed a threat.

If the dogs sense an intruder or attempted security breach, dozens of sensors around the facility pick up their "alarm bark" and alert the human operators in the control room.

Dubbed "Doguard," the Dog Bio Security system is in place in high-security Eshel Prison as well as Israeli military bases, water installations, farms, ranches, garages and in Jewish settlements in the occupied.

Barbie Doll and Tanner Scooper Dog Set

Classy! Finally, Barbie has a dog that eats and makes a mess! Tanner the dog eats and ejects waste from his body. At this point, Barbie can pick it up in a scooper, and then Tanner will eat it again-- just like your real dog!

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Scrolling LED dog tags

Customizable scrolling LED dog tag. Great for nights outs, it is programmable to say what you want, with messages being easy and fast to enter using three button on the back.

via shiny shiny.

Car Exercises Dogs (Sep, 1955)

A proposal for a car system to exercise dogs, digged out in a 1955 issue of Popular Mechanics:

"With six racing dogs to keep in top shape, Dewey Blanton of Columbus, Ohio, has developed a “canine exerciser” that fastens to his station wagon. Blanton built a frame to support a long plank beside the vehicle. Springs fastened to the plank are attached to the dogs’ collars, permitting the dogs to run wide. Longer chains keep the dogs in check. The broad plank bumper prevents injury to the dogs as they race along at 35 miles per hour. Best of all, the dogs seem to love the exerciser."

Dog-powered scooter

A fantastic way to harness the energy of your Great Dane, irritate those who might share the bike paths of the city with you and entertain the crowd. Inventor Mark Schuette of Oregon claims you'll be in total control of the speed and direction of the dog powered scooter because the dog is harnessed inside of the frame and subject to its steering and braking force.

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