America loves cats. America loves technology. What a combination.
But first, let’s talk about cats. In the US, 43 Million households have cats. Not only do they have cats- in fact they have multiple; these 43 Million households are home to 94.2M cats. These smart, adorable felines are a major part of the $75B pet industry in the US, indicating that people put their money where their heart is when it comes to furry family members. The love of cats extends across demographics and geographies and constitutes a unifying characteristic and the basis for a variety of communities, websites, and social groups. Yes, cats are serious business.
Given this, one would think it was natural to apply the love of technology innovation with the love of pets, but, in fact, we humans tend to be a little selfish when it comes to the benefits of these innovations. While we love our phones and computers, our apps and our high-tech experiences, we rarely train our creativity and intellect on our pets. When it comes to technology we tend to forget that our pets can be beneficiaries too.
Until now. Welcome to MeowTalk, the first cat translation app. With a playful name and a unique purpose, MeowTalk helps you understand what your cat is trying to communicate to you. According to experts, every cat has a unique vocabulary and cats are active and sophisticated communicators. Each cat has a distinct “meow” for necessary phrases like “feed me” or “let me out.” They also have distinct meows for lesser-but-still-important phrases like “play with me.” Just as with human language, these meows follow patterns and constitute a language.
With MeowTalk, you can create a profile for your cat and start using its auto-recognition to translate your cat’s meows and start mapping its language. While some translations are built-in and inherent to the app, translations specific to your cat require you to train the app to recognize your cat’s specific vocabulary and intentions. Translations you deem to be incorrect can be corrected via the app. MeowTalk is not static; instead it learns and evolves with each translation that you confirm, adding to its corpus, just as we would add new words into our own memory banks or language processing programs.
Such ideas, while seemingly simple, are only really possible now, with advances in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are concepts discussed in a variety of forums; here you have AI and ML at work- applied to a largely neglected area. Such applied AI requires the combination of a clear problem statement, solved by innovative technology coupled with intelligent architecture, sprinkled with a dynamic data strategy. Using these tools and concepts, MeowTalk constitutes a phase-shift in translation- in this case applied to cats- but proving-out a model whereby a variety of communication mechanisms and “languages” can become accessible.
MeowTalk is an example of the convergence of three key elements: A subject of interest (and emotional value) to a large swath of people, a problem that can only now be solved with the advanced technologies of AI and ML, and a potentially vast market. Now, what would have appeared just a decade ago to be science-fictional and outlandish, is possible.
Whether or not you are a cat owner or a cat lover, we encourage you to introduce yourself to MeowTalk. As the application trains itself, improves, and creates high-fidelity communications between cats and their owners, other possibilities will emerge.
FREE MEOWTALK RESOURCES: WEBINAR AND APPLICATION
Akvelon is excited to share our MeowTalk app with cat and tech enthusiasts, so we are offering the app on Android and iOS. Learn more about MeowTalk directly from our development team in this free webinar recording:
Constantine Korovkin is the COO and Co-Founder of Akvelon. He is passionate about excellence in execution, building successful high-tech businesses, project management, exceeding clients and customers expectations in every way.
“Now, what would have appeared just a decade ago to be science-fictional and outlandish, is possible”