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The newly developed dog-friendly prototype by Wagg marks the launch of Dogglebox, a one-off spoof with a completely canine cast.
Pet food brand, Wagg, based in the United Kingdom, has developed a prototype of the first ever dog television remote control, in partnership with Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas, PhD Researcher in Animal Computer Interaction Design at the University of Central Lancashire.
The device comes with extra-large buttons for clumsy paws, allowing dogs to control the TV when their owner leaves the room. The remote marks the next step in the growing trend of animal computer interaction (ACI), which has seen many pet-focused apps and interactive toys launch over the past few years.
“Recent research found the average dog now watches more than nine hours of TV a week, showing that technology is already playing a huge part in our pets’ lives,” said Hirskyj-Douglas.
The contraption is used in a similar way to a normal television remote and has been specially designed for dogs with hard-wearing waterproof plastic. The creation entails paw-friendly buttons with raised surfaces to avoid paw slippage and features the colours yellow and blue.
According to the brand, although dogs generally have a 240 degree vision, they have fewer colour sensitive cones than humans, a situation which results in them being red-green colour blind. The remote also includes squeak sounds which omit a lower-intense frequency for canine appeal.
Additionally, a hole has been added to attach a rope toy for furkids to interact with and carry the remote. The model is currently being trialled, with experts monitoring dog’s reactions to the buttons, sounds, and colours. Following the analysis, Wagg will approach tech companies with a view of putting the model into production.
Said design has been commissioned by Wagg to mark the launch of Dogglebox, a one-off spoof with a completely canine cast. The video sees pooches of all shapes and sizes parody the Channel 4 television show, Gogglebox. The spot recently launched on Facebook and YouTube.
“Recent research carried out by Wagg, looked at the extent to which television plays a part in the lives of our dogs—with a staggering 91 percent of owners admitting their pet regularly sits on the sofa and watches TV with them,” said Daniel Reeves, Marketing Manager at Inspired Pet Nutrition.
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