A computer can help dogs communicate

Researchers in Hungary are trying to teach a computer to understand different types of dog barking. In the meantime, the computer manages to decipher the will of dogs at least as well as a trained dog

Scientists in Hungary are currently working on developing computer software that analyzes dog barking and will allow humans to better recognize the basic emotions of dogs, Hungarian ethologist Cassava Molany said.

Mullany and his colleagues at the ELTE University in Budapest tested the software, which detects the emotions of the dogs, on 11 dogs of the Hungarian Muddy breed, in six different situations. When the dog was lonely, when he saw a ball, when dogs fight, at play, when they meet a stranger, and when they go for a walk.

According to them, a possible commercial application of the system would be a device for communication between dogs and humans" say the scientists.

The computer was able to correctly identify the emotional reactions of the dogs based on their barking and howling in 43% of the cases. Humans judge correctly 40% of the time. However, the scientists claim that the software can still be improved.

Molnar said the Hungarian scientists' study provided further proof that different types of dogs can deliver a message that humans can understand even if they have no experience with dogs.