A research team from Imperial College London invented a device that can track the vital signs through fur and up to four layers of clothing.
This device could be a game-changer for pet owners and animal lovers, as it is capable of reading vital signs like heart and breathing rates through their fur coat.
Dr. Firat Guder of Imperial’s Department of Bioengineering said, "Wearables are expected to play a major role in monitoring health and detecting diseases early. Our stretchy, flexible invention heralds a whole new type of sensor that can track the health of animals and humans alike over fur or clothing."
The device is made of a silicone-water composite making it flexible and stretchy enough so that it can mold tightly to the shape of whatever is wearing it.
In addition to tracking health, the device may also be useful for dogs who work as sniffers as they are trained to bark and/or sit near the object or person they are looking for. Typically, when they locate their target, their heart and breathing rates increase out of excitement and depending on the level of increase, it could essentially report just how "sure" the dog is about its discovery.
The team is also working on integrating motion sensors to the device so they can track animals' movements. This would be useful in locating your animals with the assistance of an app integration on your smartphone.