Bark! “What’s that, Lassie?” Bark! Bark!
The majority of pet owners — 67% — say they can already understand their pets. While dogs have been able to master the command “Speak” in terms of a bark, new developments in technology could allow dogs to communicate on a more sophisticated level.
This is particularly beneficial for training service dogs to better communicate with their handlers as well as on behalf of their handlers.
Dogs Are Wired to Communicate
Dogs are social animals that, just like humans, use a variety of means to communicate. Barking is a language in and of itself, complete with territorial barks that are loud, may be mixed with growls, and can increase in intensity; play barks, which tend to be the most high-pitched barks; and alarm, which are sharp. As well, dogs rely on visual cues, such as tail wagging, ear position, and body posture. They also use scent as a way to gather information about each other.
People began to domesticate dogs as long as 40,000 years ago, using animals for work and companionship. A 2009 study by Miho Nagasawa found that both humans and dogs release the same hormone — oxytocin — when they gaze into each other’s eyes. According to the report, “This understanding of the biological aspect of interspecies attachment suggests the possible elements that form the basis of cross-species empathy.”
It’s long been believed that dogs learn this behavior. However, a new study released in June 2021 indicates that this skill set is present soon after a puppy’s birth. Led by Emily Bray, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Arizona, the study found that eight-week-old puppies were interested in human faces and were skilled in utilizing human gestures at the first trial. The study also indicates that certain breeds are more adept at social skills than others are.
While dogs and humans may not speak the same language, we have learned to communicate on a certain level with one another. Dogs that undergo specialized training to act as service dogs have even achieved the ability to communicate life-saving information.
What Is a Service Dog?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines service dogs as those that have been specifically trained to perform work or tasks for individuals who have disabilities. They further clarify that the work the animal does must be precisely related to the individual’s disability.
These dogs can provide a wide variety of tasks, as they can be trained to help people with an assortment of disabilities. The ADA provides examples such as guiding individuals who are blind, pulling wheelchairs, alerting individuals who are hearing impaired, soothing an individual experiencing PTSD, and prompting an individual with a mental illness to take their prescriptions.
The ADA makes two important distinctions about service dogs:
- A service animal is not a pet — it is a working animal.
- An emotional support animal (ESA) does not qualify as a service animal.
Technology Is Advancing Canine Communication
Traditionally, service dogs have learned to communicate with their owners by methods such as nudging with their noses, leading them, and jumping on their leg. NEADS, a nonprofit that has trained close to 2,000 service dog teams since 1976, offers some insight into this, including a video showing how a dog alerts a deaf handler. The 2018 documentary Pick of the Litter offers insight into how puppies are picked and trained to become service dogs, while the 2018 docuseries DOGS featured the story of how a service dog became part of the life of one young girl who experienced seizures.
Today, technology is advancing communication between canines and their handlers. Importantly for those who aren’t trained in understanding the unique language between handler and dog, technology is also improving canines’ ability to communicate on behalf of their handlers, which could be critical in the case of an emergency.
Here are a few ways technology could be used to improve canine–human communication:
Computerized vests with audio: Some service dogs may wear a vest that is computerized. The vest includes a mechanical lever that when pulled emits a prerecorded audio message that alerts those in the vicinity that help is needed.
Computerized vests that send text messages: Dogs can also wear vests outfitted with a sensor that they can wave their noses over that then sends a text message to their handler. For example, a dog can be trained to wave their nose over the sensor when they hear a doorbell, which then sends a text message alerting the handler to the ringing doorbell. If instead the dog hears a fire alarm, it knows to wave its nose over a different sensor, which then sends a text message alerting the handler of the fire alarm.
GPS: Service dogs can wear a GPS tracker. If there is an emergency, an alert can be triggered that includes GPS coordinates, which can be sent to 911.
Touchscreens: These days even dogs know how to use touchscreen computers. The dogs learn how to tap the monitors using their nose. They are taught to tap colored dots in a certain order to send out alerts. (Contrary to what many people think, dogs are not color blind. However, as they are dichromatic, the research scientists make sure to use colors that the dogs can identify.)
Wireless harness with vibrator: Using haptic technology, humans can communicate remotely with their service dogs.
Wireless harness with physiological sensors: Guide dogs are trained to not exhibit signs of their own stress while they’re working. However, they still experience stress on the job. Physiological sensors in the same wireless harness that provides vibrations from an owner can also communicate from the dog to the owner. It can assess a dog’s heart rate, for example, and send the information to their handler. By addressing a dog’s emotional state, the handler can improve the dog’s quality of life as well as lengthen the number of years they can serve.
Research on How Technology Can Help Service Dogs Communicate Is Ongoing
The FIDO (Facilitating Interactions for Dogs with Occupations) Project at Georgia Tech is leading the pack in developing technology that service dogs can use to assist their handlers. Dr. Melody M. Jackson founded the FIDO Project and serves as its director. Her TED Talk “Can Wearable Computing for Dogs Keep Humans Safer?” illuminates opportunities for technology to advance dogs’ communication.
FIDO’s projects have included activation interfaces, gesture interfaces, haptic (touch) interfaces, touchscreen interfaces, and mobile collaboration between canines and law enforcement. They also have researched how quantimetric data can inform whether a dog is a suitable candidate for service work.
North Carolina State University researchers are also involved in developing technologies that can improve communication between humans and dogs. Much of their research has been focused on applications for search and rescue, but they are also researching applications for service dogs.
Wearable technology that includes sensors, buttons, or mechanical levers to communicate messages are just the beginning of how technology can advance the quality of service that dogs can provide humans. But it’s not just advancements in technology that are needed. We also need more quality service dog training. Today, there are only about 500,000 service dogs working in the U.S. — despite the fact that about 390,000 shelter dogs are euthanized each year. As a result, only about 1% of veterans in need of a service animal have one.
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