MeowTalk app translate's cat's 'language' for pet owners
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This app is the cat’s meow.
A former Amazon engineer who worked on Alexa now wants to solve the mystery of what your cat is trying to tell you.
Javier Sanchez, a project manager at the tech company Akvelon, has developed the MeowTalk app, which supposedly translates a wide range of feline utterances, KING 5 reported.
“It’s not a language. They don’t share words or communicate with each other. Cats never meow at each other out in nature,” Sanchez told the outlet.
He said the NPR series “The Secret Language of Cats” sparked his interest to pursue his latest pet project, using his experience with Alexa to tackle kitty talk.
Sanchez and his team concluded through research that cats, along with nine lives, have nine basic intentions — including “I’m hungry,” “I’m happy” and “I’m in pain” — that are included in the app.
The science isn’t perfect, however, and users can fine-tune the app and note when they believe the translation was accurate. They also can update with custom messages such as, “I want my toy!”
Users can record their cat’s meow to decode what it means — but the ultimate goal is coming up with a collar that will be able translate with a vocal response.
Sanchez used a prototype unit on his own kitten, whose meow was translated as, “I’m angry! Leave me alone!”
The team plans to release an update in several other languages besides English as the app is refined.
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