Inducing cats to exercise with a beam of invisible light

In his blog, Alex Pang points on this incredible patent:

US5443036: Method of exercising a cat:

Abstract: A method for inducing cats to exercise consists of directing a beam of invisible light produced by a hand-held laser apparatus onto the floor or wall or other opaque surface in the vicinity of the cat, then moving the laser so as to cause the bright pattern of light to move in an irregular way fascinating to cats, and to any other animal with a chase instinct.

Some more about it:
Carayan et al., "Effects of tianeptine on the Performance of a reaching movement in a cat", Psychopharmacology, vol. 104, Issue 3, Berlin, 1991, pp. 328-336. (9 pages) [ISI abstract]
Levesque et al., "Visual `cortical-recipient` and tectal-recepient pontine zones play distinct roles in cat visuomotor performance", Behavioral Brain Research, vol. 39, Netherlands, 1990, pp. 157-166. (10 pages

A dating agency for parrots

VIa Ananova:

An ornithologist who set up a dating agency for lonely parrots says it has been a huge success.

Rita Ohnhauser has already brought 1,300 lonely hearts together in Berlin and unlike other matchmakers she knows her pairs will never split - because the birds mate for life.

"In the wild parrots search out a life partner and then spend every minute of the day with them, but when they are kept as pets they are mainly alone and get very depressed," said Ohnhauser.

She added that parrot owners across Germany had started bringing their feathered friends to the sanctuary to find a mate, and she currently had 150 parrots busy "getting acquainted" with other birds.

"Birds experience love at first sight just like humans. But others make a really careful choice before entering a relationship. It can take up to three months," she said.

Yet another dog tracker

Locatis is an interesting swiss company working in the field of geolocation and mobile devices. Their first product is:

The PB 100 is a geo-localisation search device combining GPS and GSM technologies, especially developed to track dogs. This new product on the Swiss market is a true wonder of innovative technology that nonetheless remains easy to use.

By fixing the PB100 device on your dog’s collar, you can now feel totally at ease. Thanks to the PB100 and its corresponding search platform, if your dog runs away it could be localised in a matter of seconds.

Searches of this kind can be made via Internet, SMS, or by telephone.

They just established a partnership with Orange in Switzerland.

A dog treat launcher

Via Strange New Products, a marvelous Treat Launcher shoots called Snackshotz. It can "shoot a dog treat about 12 feet away, sending your four-legged pal running off with reckless abandon to find the tasty yummy. Just grab a bag of treats, sit in your favorite chair, and give Buddy a good workout as he runs through the house tracking down treats".

Woof-Based Floral Monument

Via Pruned, this impressive monument: Jeff Koons' floral Puppy guarding the entrance to the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum.

Fab Furcedes Pet Bed

This is an impressive Fab Furcedes Pet Bed:
The fast + the furry-ous! If your four-legger enjoys life in the fast lane, our Fab Furcedes Pet Bed is the ticket to ride featuring:
A marvelous original sportscar design
Removable, machine-washable ultra-soft plush cover
Plump poly-fill interior cushion
Custom detailed embroidery of Furcedes name + logo, "LA Dog" license plate, hub caps + rims, grill + handles.
Terrific windshield, mirror + safety bar details. A one-of-a-kind bed, designed to provide your one-of-a-kind pampered pet the perfect place to rest.

249$

Interspecies awareness with technology

Fredshouse has a great post about supporting interspecies social awareness (which is actually notes from a paper by paper by Mankoff, Dey et al for the conference UIST 2005):

In interspecies households, it is common for the non homo sapien members to be isolated and ignored for many hours each day when humans are out of the house or working. For pack animals, such as canines, information about a pack member's extended pack interactions (outside of the nuclear household) could help to mitigate this social isolation. We have developed a Pack Activity Watch System: Allowing Broad Interspecies Love In Telecommunication with Internet-Enabled Sociability (PAWSABILITIES) for helping to support remote awareness of social activities. Our work focuses on canine companions, and includes, pawticipatory design, labradory tests, and canid camera monitoring.

Pee post: encourage pets to eliminate in a specific area

New and essential: Pee Post

• Manufactured with pheromones that attract pets


• Encourages pets to eliminate in a specific area


• Pets smell the pheromones in the plastic for months


• Helps maintain lawns


• Makes clean-up easier


• Weather proof


• Package designed to hang or set on shelf

Not really a location-based service but rather, a "go-to-that-location" direction tracker!

A woman has married a dolphin in Israel

Via Ananova

Sharon Tendler from Redbridge, East London, wore a white silk dress and a pink tiara for the ceremony in Eliat, Israel. The dolphin, Cindy, swam to the side of his enclosure for the ceremony. Sharon kissed Cindy and whispered "I love you" in his blow hole.

According to The Sun she said: "Cindy is 35 and I've been visiting him on holidays for 15 years. He's lovely." After the ceremony she dived into the water in her dress to give Cindy a hug.

Technology Deployed In Roaming Dog Hunt

Technology Deployed In Roaming Dog Hunt:

Animal experts are turning to technology to catch a dog that has been roaming the woods in New Hampshire for more than a year. The golden retriever known as Sam escaped from his owners in May of 2004 and has been spotted repeatedly in the woods around Candia. The plan to catch Sam involves tracking the dog on an infrared camera as he approaches one of his feeding areas. Then hidden observers plan to drop a remote-controlled net. If that fails, they plan to shoot the dog with a small dose of sedative.

The dog isn't considered a danger to people, although he has been known to get into unattended garbage.
The plan to capture Sam could be implemented as early as this week.